Purpose Meets Growth: Aligning Social Impact & Business Vision

Neeta Joshi, a seasoned development professional with over 23 years of experience in CSR and impact management, she drives strategy, compliance, and women-centric initiatives, fostering systemic change through livelihoods, education, health, financial literacy, and community empowerment, benefiting over 800,000 lives.

In a thought-provoking interaction with Women Entrepreneurs Review Magazine, Neeta talks about the fundamentals of women-led CSR leadership and impact creation.

She shares her views on how women leaders can leverage CSR to drive sustainable impact in male-dominated sectors, align women-centric initiatives with business goals, and ensure transparent reporting for long-term trust and social change.

Neeta also shares lessons learnt over the two-decade long journey in the CSR leadership space and the initiatives she has driven at Capri Global.

To understand the nuances of CSR leadership and impact creation, read the following interview.

Drawing from your experience at Capri Global, how do you think can women leaders leverage CSR to create impact within traditionally male-dominated sectors?

Drawing from my experience at Capri Global, I believe women leaders can use CSR as a bridge between corporate strengths and societal needs, particularly in sectors like finance where representation is still evolving. By designing programs that build women’s financial literacy, entrepreneurial skills, and access to credit, we can create pathways for economic independence.

Leveraging CSR funds strategically allows piloting of innovative models that, once successful, can be scaled across regions. Collaboration with industry bodies, microfinance institutions, and technology partners ensures reach and efficiency.

You’ve partnered with diverse NGOs across multiple states. What strategies have proven effective in aligning women-centric social initiatives with core business goals and creating impact?

Working with diverse NGOs across states has taught us the importance of deep alignment between a partner’s grassroots expertise and our business vision. The most effective strategies begin with co-creating project goals that reflect community priorities while leveraging our strengths in financial knowledge and operational efficiency. Building capacity within NGOs to track and report outcomes ensures accountability and scalability.

We integrate measurable indicators such as income increase, skill certification, or enterprise survival rates to evaluate impact objectively. By aligning social initiatives with our core finance expertise, like promoting women-led enterprises, we create interventions that are both socially relevant and business-aligned, making them more sustainable over the long term.

How has integrating women empowerment into Capri’s CSR influenced organizational culture and employee engagement, especially encouraging women employees to take leadership roles?

At Capri, integrating women empowerment into our CSR has transformed not just communities but our internal culture. Our women-centric programs supporting entrepreneurs, skilling initiatives, and grassroots leadership have inspired employees, especially women, to engage deeply and step into leadership roles.

By showcasing stories of empowered women through internal platforms, we’ve created aspirational role models that resonate across teams.

This cultural shift is fostering inclusion, driving employee engagement, and strengthening our belief that empowering women externally must reflect internally. When women lead inside the organization and in the communities, we build a more resilient, empathetic, and future-ready Capri.

In your two decades of CSR leadership, can you share an example of overcoming challenges while implementing women-focused initiatives? What lessons can women leaders apply to their CSR efforts?

During a rural women’s empowerment program, we faced resistance from both communities and the women themselves many had never imagined roles beyond their homes. Drawing from my background in CSR leadership and monitoring & evaluation, we reworked our approach: conducting qualitative assessments, engaging SHGs, and co- creating solutions.

One breakthrough came when a woman-led tailoring unit began supplying school uniforms sparking local belief in what was possible. We didn’t just track incomes we measured shifts in confidence, agency, and mobility.

Lesson for women leaders: Start small, listen deeply, adapt boldly. True impact comes from building trust, tracking both tangible and intangible outcomes, and staying committed.

How do you ensure transparent reporting and compliance in women empowerment projects? Why is this rigor critical for gaining trust from stakeholders and driving long-term social change?

In CSR, impact is often measured in numbers—but women empowerment demands a deeper lens. Metrics like confidence, decision-making, and social mobility aren’t always visible upfront, which makes transparency and compliance essential, not optional. My experience leading women-centric programs has taught me that trust is the foundation of long-term change.

We begin with due diligence, establish clear charters, and implement robust monitoring that blends data with human stories. Compliance isn’t a burden—it’s a tool that builds internal discipline and stakeholder credibility. By reporting honestly, acknowledging challenges, and course-correcting with empathy, we gain trust—from communities, boards, and funders. Transparent processes don’t just ensure accountability—they signal that we’re not working for communities, but with them.

LAST WORD: Advice For Women Leaders Looking to Champion CSR-Driven Social Impact

As CSR evolves into a strategic enabler, women leaders bring empathy, insight, and long-term vision to the forefront. With over two decades in CSR and development, I’ve seen how women uniquely balance business goals with genuine community empowerment. My advice: root your strategy in purpose, not just policy. Blend data-driven insights with grassroots realities. Don’t just fund projects—co-create them with communities. Use your influence to build internal CSR champions across teams. And finally, lead with courage and compassion—backed by evidence, not just emotion.

Women in CSR are not just fulfilling mandates; they are shaping legacies, shifting narratives, and building inclusive, sustainable futures—for companies and communities alike.