Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India increased their corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending 6.4 times over a decade to ₹3,661 crore in FY2024-25, accounting for approximately 9% of the country’s corporate philanthropy, according to a report by Sattva Consulting and India Data Insights.
The report, titled ₹3,661 Crore CSR Spending is Only the Beginning, found that GCC CSR investments grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.4% between FY2014-15 and FY2024-25. Overall CSR spending in India grew at a slower annual rate of 15% during the period.
The findings point to a growing contribution from GCCs to corporate philanthropy, alongside opportunities to direct more funding towards technology-led social innovation and communities beyond major urban centres.
GCCs outpace overall CSR growth
The report analyses approximately ₹24,000 crore in CSR spending across 906 confirmed GCCs, using data from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs covering FY2014-15 to FY2024-25.
Pure GCCs accounted for much of the expansion, with their CSR investments increasing 8.6 times over the decade. Spending by Hybrid GCCs rose 5.5 times over the same period.
Key findings include:
₹3,661 crore: GCC CSR spending in FY2024-25.
6.4 times: Increase in GCC CSR spending over the decade.
20.4%: CAGR of GCC CSR spending, compared with 15% for overall CSR spending.
906 GCCs: Confirmed centres covered in the report’s analysis.
₹24,000 crore: Approximate CSR spending analysed across the period.
The report found that GCCs broadly follow the wider corporate philanthropy landscape, particularly in their emphasis on education and healthcare.
Education remains a leading CSR priority
Education emerged as a major area of investment across GCCs, featuring among the top CSR priorities in 11 of the 13 industries analysed.
According to the report, education accounted for between 34% and 52% of CSR spending across most sectors during FY2022-23 to FY2024-25. Projects focused on skilling, capacity building and digital education, with an emphasis on strengthening future talent pipelines.
The findings reflect the importance of skills development within talent-intensive GCC operations. However, the report also identifies opportunities to use GCCs’ technical and engineering capabilities more extensively to address wider development challenges.
Environmental programmes formed another area of investment. GCCs directed ₹228 crore towards water management and afforestation, according to the report.
Innovation receives a relatively small share of funding
Despite GCCs’ engineering, product development and technical expertise, innovation-linked projects accounted for only ₹435 crore, or 4% of total GCC CSR spending during FY2022-23 to FY2024-25.
The report identifies this as an opportunity for GCCs to apply their technical capabilities to social development. It highlights translational research and innovation, preparation for the future of work, and improvements in urban quality of life as areas where GCC expertise could contribute.
Srikrishna Sridhar Murthy, CEO of Sattva Consulting, said the next phase of GCC-led social impact would involve moving beyond financial contributions towards building capabilities.
Murthy said GCCs could bring technology, talent, technical expertise and global experience to complex development challenges. He identified connecting these capabilities more deliberately with India’s development priorities as an opportunity to develop solutions that can scale.
More than 65% of GCC CSR spending goes to Tier-1 cities
The report also found a strong geographical concentration in GCC philanthropy, with more than 65% of spending directed towards Tier-1 cities, including Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Hyderabad.
Nashik was the only Tier-2 district among the top 10 recipients of GCC CSR spending, receiving ₹104 crore during FY2022-23 to FY2024-25.
The concentration of funding in major urban centres points to scope for extending GCC-led social impact to other regions. The report highlights the opportunity to connect corporate resources and technical capabilities with development needs beyond India’s largest cities.
The next phase of GCC-led social impact
The findings position GCCs as an increasingly significant contributor to India’s corporate philanthropy, with spending growing faster than the overall CSR total over the past decade.
The report identifies two areas for further attention: expanding the use of technology and innovation in social projects, and extending the geographical reach of funding beyond major urban centres.
For GCCs, the opportunity lies in linking their financial contributions with their technical expertise and workforce capabilities. How effectively these resources are aligned with India’s development priorities will shape the next phase of their contribution to social impact, according to the report.
