Asian Paints CSR Spending Report FY 2025-26

Asian Paints reports full CSR compliance with excess spend of ₹0.49 crore; Beautiful Homes Academy trains over 9.45 lakh participants during the year

Asian Paints Limited, India’s leading paint and décor company, continued to strengthen its social responsibility agenda in FY 2025-26 with a total CSR spend of Rs. 115.14 crore. The company’s CSR programme remained focused on inclusive development, livelihood enhancement, water stewardship, primary healthcare, employee volunteering and responsible business practices. Asian Paints’ CSR spending in FY 2025-26 reflects a blend of statutory compliance, strategic community engagement and measurable social impact.

The company’s CSR work is rooted in its larger purpose of “Bringing joy to people’s lives.” In FY 2025-26, this purpose was visible not only in its market-facing business strategy but also in its efforts to improve the lives of communities around its operations. Asian Paints placed strong emphasis on employability, skill building, water conservation, health and hygiene, and community resilience.

As per the company’s Annual Report on Corporate Social Responsibility Activities, Asian Paints’ average net profit under Section 135(5) of the Companies Act, 2013 stood at Rs. 5,732.35 crore. The statutory 2% CSR requirement was Rs. 114.65 crore. After adjusting Rs. 0.51 crore available for set-off from excess CSR spending in previous years, the total CSR obligation for FY 2025-26 stood at Rs. 114.14 crore. Against this, the company spent Rs. 115.14 crore, resulting in an excess spend of Rs. 0.49 crore available for set-off in succeeding financial years.

This makes FY 2025-26 another year of complete CSR compliance for Asian Paints. The company also reported that there was no unspent CSR amount for the year and that it had not created or acquired any capital asset through CSR funds during the financial year.

The company’s CSR efforts were concentrated in areas that have direct relevance to community welfare and long-term development. These include vocational skills, livelihood enhancement, water stewardship, primary healthcare, hygiene and disaster relief.

CSR Spending Snapshot FY 2025-26

Asian Paints’ CSR performance in FY 2025-26 reflects both regulatory compliance and programme-level depth.

The company’s average net profit as per Section 135(5) of the Companies Act was Rs. 5,732.35 crore. The mandated 2% CSR requirement was Rs. 114.65 crore. There was no surplus arising from CSR projects or programmes of previous years. However, Asian Paints had Rs. 0.51 crore available for set-off from excess CSR spending in earlier years. After this adjustment, the total CSR obligation for FY 2025-26 was Rs. 114.14 crore.

The company spent Rs. 108.93 crore on CSR projects, including ongoing and other than ongoing projects. It spent Rs. 5.56 crore on administrative overheads. It also spent Rs. 0.65 crore on impact assessment. The total CSR spend for the financial year was Rs. 115.14 crore.

This amount includes the set-off of Rs. 0.51 crore spent by the company on CSR activities in previous financial years. The excess spend for FY 2025-26 stood at Rs. 0.49 crore. This amount is available for set-off in succeeding financial years.

No Unspent CSR Amount

Asian Paints reported that there was no unspent CSR amount for FY 2025-26. The company also stated that there was no amount required to be transferred to the Unspent CSR Account under Section 135(6) of the Companies Act. No amount was required to be transferred to any fund specified under Schedule VII as per Section 135(5).

The company also confirmed that it had no unspent CSR amount from the preceding three financial years. This indicates disciplined CSR planning, implementation and utilisation.

In the financial statements, Asian Paints reported that the gross amount required to be spent during FY 2025-26 was Rs. 114.65 crore. The amount spent during the year for purposes other than construction or acquisition of assets stood at Rs. 114.63 crore, consisting of Rs. 108.35 crore spent in cash and ₹6.28 crore yet to be paid in cash. The financial statement disclosure also records no unspent amount required to be deposited in a specified Schedule VII fund.

CSR Policy: Anchored in Trust, Fairness and Care

Asian Paints’ CSR policy is rooted in the company’s purpose of bringing joy to people’s lives. The policy is anchored in trust, fairness and care. Its CSR initiatives are designed to create lasting value in communities where the company operates.

The company’s CSR approach focuses on sustainable community development, livelihood enhancement, employee volunteering and responsible business practices. It is aligned with Asian Paints’ broader ESG promises.

The CSR policy is guided by four major principles.

First, the company seeks to actively initiate and participate in projects that improve the lives of people in regions where it operates and has a presence.

Second, it provides vocational training and skill development to enhance livelihood opportunities for people largely from the unorganised sector.

Third, it aims to create social and economic value as a corporate citizen and encourages employees to participate in CSR programmes.

Fourth, it manages its operations through principles of sustainable development, with emphasis on reducing resource footprint and protecting the health and safety of stakeholders.

Key CSR Focus Areas

Asian Paints’ CSR initiatives during FY 2025-26 focused on inclusive development and environmental protection. The company reported four major CSR activity areas.

The first area was creating employability and enhancing the dignity of the painter, carpenter and plumber community. This was done primarily through vocational training and capability building.

The second area was water conservation, replenishment and recharge. Through its Watermark programme, Asian Paints worked on improving water security in water-stressed communities.

The third area was enabling access to quality primary healthcare services. The company supported health and hygiene interventions through static health units, mobile medical units and community-based health programmes.

The fourth area was disaster relief measures. This reflects the company’s commitment to responding to community needs during emergencies.

Beautiful Homes Academy

Building Livelihoods Through Skills

One of the strongest pillars of Asian Paints’ CSR programme is the Beautiful Homes Academy. The academy promotes inclusive growth by enabling individuals to enhance their skills and improve their livelihoods.

The programme is especially important because it works with communities that are closely connected with the company’s business ecosystem. Painters, applicators, carpenters and plumbers often belong to informal or semi-formal work sectors. Many depend on practical skills, market networks and customer trust for their income. By investing in structured training, Asian Paints helps improve both earning potential and occupational dignity.

The Beautiful Homes Academy offers training across multiple trades. These include paint application, specialised finishes, waterproofing, wood finishes, wallpaper installation, carpentry and plumbing. The training also includes modules on finance, business, customer engagement and safety.

During FY 2025-26, the academy delivered multi-level trainings across trades. It also ran focused programmes such as mechanisation, NextGen, Décor Advisor, Shop Manager and Health & Safety trainings.

A notable feature of the year was the launch of a WhatsApp Broadcast Channel. This channel helped the company maintain continued engagement with participants even after training completion. Through curated content such as success stories, quizzes, testimonials, practical frameworks and learning nudges, Asian Paints extended the value of training beyond the classroom.

The impact was significant. During FY 2025-26, the company trained 9,45,652 total participants. The number of unique participants trained during the year was 3,24,020. Since FY 2014-15, total unique participants trained stood at 11,89,557.

This makes the Beautiful Homes Academy one of the company’s most impactful CSR platforms. It directly links skill development with livelihood enhancement. It also supports quality improvement in the painting and home décor ecosystem.

Water Stewardship

Building Community Water Security

Water stewardship remained a core pillar of Asian Paints’ CSR strategy in FY 2025-26. The company continued its Watermark programme with a focus on measurable, sustainable and community-owned water security outcomes.

The programme is important because water stress is one of India’s most serious development challenges. Rural and semi-urban communities often depend on local water bodies, groundwater and rain-fed systems. When water availability declines, it affects agriculture, domestic use, health, livelihoods and migration patterns.

Asian Paints adopted an integrated approach to water security. The company focused on both water availability and water use efficiency. Supply-side interventions included rejuvenation of water bodies, creation and restoration of water storage infrastructure, canal lining and feeder channel development. These efforts helped improve water capture, storage and groundwater recharge.

On the demand side, the company promoted water-efficient agricultural practices. These interventions were designed to optimise water use and reduce pressure on local water resources. Such measures are valuable because water security is not only about creating structures. It is also about changing water-use behaviour and promoting long-term resilience.

Asian Paints also used nature-based solutions. The company implemented micro algae-based phycoremediation technology at select locations. This technology was used to address water quality challenges and enable reuse of treated water.

The company reported that water harvesting potential created stood at 431% of annual freshwater consumption. This was far above its 2030 target of more than 70%. Asian Paints also reported 589% water replenishment, reflecting strong performance in water stewardship.

Healthcare and Hygiene

Reaching Communities Through Primary Care

Healthcare and hygiene formed another major part of Asian Paints’ CSR work in FY 2025-26. The company’s CSR initiatives supported access to primary healthcare services through static health units, mobile medical units and targeted community outreach.

The company reported that over 259,000 beneficiaries were impacted through healthcare initiatives during FY 2025-26.

The healthcare interventions are important because access to primary health services remains a challenge for many underserved communities. Early diagnosis, preventive care, basic consultation and awareness can reduce household medical expenses and prevent loss of wages due to illness.

Asian Paints’ impact assessment summary highlighted the role of health interventions in making healthcare access easier. Nearby clinics and mobile units helped reduce travel effort and delays in seeking timely medical care. Free medicines and local treatment helped lower out-of-pocket costs and prevented loss of daily wages due to illness.

The company’s health and hygiene CSR work also included interventions for the trucker community through the SAFAR programme. The programme provided basic medical consultations, diagnostic services, preventive healthcare and physiotherapy support. It also facilitated awareness of government healthcare schemes.

Such programmes are socially relevant because truckers face occupational health risks due to long working hours, travel stress, poor access to regular medical facilities and lifestyle-related challenges. By targeting this community, Asian Paints extended healthcare support to a group often underserved by traditional systems.

Impact Assessment

Independent Review of CSR Projects

Asian Paints reported that it appointed external agencies to undertake independent review and impact assessment of eligible CSR activities undertaken in previous financial years.

During FY 2025-26, the company engaged two external agencies to conduct impact assessment of fourteen eligible CSR projects as per the provisions of the Companies Act and CSR Rules.

KPMG Assurance and Consulting Services LLP conducted impact assessment for projects in Health & Hygiene and Water Stewardship. Sattva Consulting conducted impact assessment for the Beautiful Homes Academy under Enhancing Vocational Skills.

The impact assessment covered four major areas: SAFAR truckers’ wellbeing interventions, Water for Livelihoods and Water Resource Management, Static Health Units and Mobile Medical Units, and Beautiful Homes Academy.

The assessment found that the health and hygiene projects helped make healthcare access easier, reduced travel effort and delays, lowered treatment costs and reduced loss of wages due to illness. The water stewardship projects helped make community water sources more reliable, improved year-round availability for domestic and agricultural needs, enhanced water quality and reduced local water stress. The vocational skills programme strengthened skills, improved livelihood opportunities and enabled financial independence and improved quality of life.

This structured impact assessment demonstrates Asian Paints’ focus on evidence-based CSR. It also shows that the company is aligning CSR with measurable outcomes rather than only expenditure.

Community Engagement and NGO Partnerships

Asian Paints’ CSR work is closely linked with community engagement. The company works with communities and non-governmental organisations to drive inclusive and sustainable development.

The company engages communities on an ongoing basis. Its approach includes CSR and sustainability initiatives, collaboration with NGOs, field visits, skill development, one-on-one interactions and employee volunteering activities.

The key community imperatives include water management, skill development, health and hygiene, sustainable business practices, and empowerment of underprivileged, vulnerable and marginalised groups.

The company’s stakeholder engagement disclosure shows that CSR is not treated as a standalone compliance function. It is integrated into Asian Paints’ broader approach to value creation and stakeholder relationships.

CSR Governance and Committee Oversight

Asian Paints’ CSR programme is overseen through formal governance structures. The Annual Report on CSR Activities was signed on behalf of the CSR Committee by Malav Dani, Chairman of the CSR Committee, and Amit Syngle, Managing Director & CEO.

During FY 2025-26, the CSR Committee reviewed the status and implementation of CSR activities. It also reviewed impact assessment of CSR projects and recommended the CSR Annual Report.

The governance mechanism is important because CSR spending under Section 135 is not only about allocating funds. It requires project selection, monitoring, implementation discipline, impact review, statutory reporting and board-level accountability.

Asian Paints’ CSR governance shows that the company has a structured CSR process that covers programme strategy, implementation and compliance.

CSR and ESG Alignment

Asian Paints’ CSR work is closely aligned with its ESG commitments. The company’s Integrated Annual Report presents CSR as part of a larger framework of responsible growth, environmental stewardship, ethical governance and social transformation.

The company reported strong ESG and sustainability indicators in FY 2025-26. It achieved a 69.2% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions compared with the baseline year FY 2013-14. It reported 24.7% reduction in specific electricity consumption. It used 25,323 tonnes of recycled plastic in packaging. Renewable electricity accounted for 56.5% of total electricity consumed across paint manufacturing facilities.

In the social performance snapshot, Asian Paints reported 945,000+ participants trained at Beautiful Homes Academy, employee engagement score of 82%, Total Recordable Frequency Rate of 1.27 and Net Promoter Score of 73.6.

The link between CSR and ESG is significant. CSR focuses on community-facing development activities, while ESG covers a wider responsibility framework including environmental performance, workplace safety, governance, supply chains and stakeholder value. Asian Paints appears to connect both through its broader purpose-driven business model.

Community Investment in Economic Value Creation

Asian Paints’ financial review also presents community investment as part of economic value distribution. The company reported direct economic value generated of Rs. 31,702.1 crore on a standalone basis in FY 2025-26. It distributed economic value of Rs. 29,647.4 crore. This included operating costs, employee wages and benefits, payments to providers of capital, payments to government and community investments.

Community investments stood at Rs. 115.5 crore in FY 2025-26, compared with Rs. 108.8 crore in FY 2024-25. This reflects an increase in social investment and aligns with the company’s CSR spending disclosures.

This is important because it places CSR within the larger framework of value creation. Asian Paints is not only generating revenue and profits but also distributing value across employees, government, investors, vendors and communities.

Key Observations

Asian Paints’ CSR performance in FY 2025-26 stands out for five reasons.

First, the company fully met its CSR obligation and reported excess spend of Rs. 0.49 crore. This demonstrates compliance discipline.

Second, the company’s CSR focus is strongly linked to its ecosystem. The Beautiful Homes Academy supports painters, applicators, carpenters and plumbers, thereby improving livelihood capabilities in communities connected to its business.

Third, water stewardship remains a mature and measurable CSR pillar. The company’s work on water harvesting, conservation, replenishment and water-use efficiency demonstrates a long-term sustainability approach.

Fourth, healthcare initiatives reached more than 259,000 beneficiaries. This shows that the company is addressing basic community needs through practical and accessible interventions.

Fifth, independent impact assessment of fourteen eligible CSR projects adds credibility to the company’s CSR reporting. It also reflects an outcome-based approach.

Overall, Asian Paints’ CSR journey in FY 2025-26 shows how a large company can connect its social responsibility with its business purpose, operational geography and stakeholder ecosystem. Its CSR investments are not limited to expenditure. They are designed to create skills, dignity, health, water security and sustainable community value.