Axis Bank unveils ‘One Axis CSR Vision’ at Abhisaran 2025; pledges to empower 2 million more households

Bengaluru, March 3, 2025: Axis Bank, one of the largest private sector banks of India, hosted Abhisaran 2025, a multi-stakeholder engagement for its partner NGOs and the leadership team of Axis Group, to unveil One Axis CSR Vision, a unified approach towards social impact across the Axis ecosystem. The event marked a significant milestone in the Bank’s CSR journey, celebrating the successful completion of its ‘Mission2Million’ initiative and launching the ‘Mission4Million’ initiative towards supporting an additional 2 million vulnerable households by fostering sustainable livelihoods, financial empowerment and skill development.
 
Abhisaran 2025 witnessed participation of senior bank officials and Trustees of Axis Bank Foundation (ABF) including S. Ramadorai, Chairperson, Munish Sharda, Executive Director, Axis Bank, Vijay Mulbagal, Group Executive – Strategic Programs and Sustainability, Axis Bank, and Founders and leaders from over 70+ NGO partners to explore innovative solutions for livelihood creation, educational outcomes, financial inclusion, healthcare access, and environmental sustainability. Industry Experts like Aloka Majumdar - MD, Global Head of Philanthropy & Head of Sustainability- India, HSBC; Dr. Anand Bang, Joint Director of SEARCH, Advisor to Tata Trusts and Government of Maharashtra; Harish Hande, Founder & CEO of Selco Foundation and Nimesh Sumati, Co- Founder of Caring Friends also participated in a panel discussion to share their views around Corporate Social Responsibility.
 
Abhisaran 2025 delved deeply into Axis Bank’s seven core CSR themes— Disaster Relief, Education, Environment, Financial Inclusion, Healthcare, Livelihoods and Sports. It demonstrated the Bank’s approach of combining strategic macro-level perspectives with grassroots insights to create meaningful and sustainable impact. Through these initiatives, the Bank has extended its reach to nearly 530 districts across India, touching some of the remotest and vulnerable communities and regions in the country.
 
On this occasion, ABF marked the remarkable achievement of completing its ‘Mission2Million’ initiative, a commitment taken in 2019. With the launch of ‘Mission4Million’, the Bank will support 2 million rural households by 2031, while expanding its focus areas to include:
 
·         Sustainable Livelihoods: Enabling income generation through diverse livelihood models, including crafts, enterprises, and agri-based solutions.
·         Climate Resilience & Alternative Models: Integrating climate-conscious initiatives and innovative funding approaches to drive long-term sustainability.
·         Capacity Building & Community Leadership: Empowering local stakeholders to lead change, ensuring long-term self-sufficiency.

Celebrating the occasion, Vijay Mulbagal, Group Executive Strategic Programs and Sustainability, Axis Bank said, "Abhisaran 2025 is an occasion to celebrate both our past achievements and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to creating lasting social impact. Guided by our One Axis CSR Vision, which focuses on seven key pillars like Education, Environment, Healthcare, Livelihoods and Sports—we are driving holistic development and sustainable progress across communities. As part of this vision, we are also setting the stage for a brighter future with an ambitious new initiative: empowering 2 million additional households by 2031, enabling resilience and leadership amongst rural and vulnerable communities."
 
Dhruvi Shah, CEO and Executive Trustee, Axis Bank Foundation added, "Mission2Million was built on strength of our partners organisations, collaboration and an unwavering belief in community-led change. As we move forward with Mission4Million, we will strive to deepen our impact through capacity-building, and cross-sector partnerships.”
 
The event also featured a series of thematic conversations and expert dialogues, fostering cross-learning and collaboration among CSR leaders and NGO partners. Highlights included:
 
·         Panel Discussion on Role of Philanthropy for Impact: Experts debated the evolution of CSR, the impact of mandatory CSR policies, and the road ahead for corporate-led social impact.
·         Interactive Workshops: Sessions on Monitoring & Evaluation, Fundraising Strategies, and Design for Impact, equipping partners with tools for more effective execution.
·         Project Showcases: Real-world case studies demonstrated high-impact CSR initiatives, inspiring future collaboration.
Abhisaran 2025 reinforced Axis Bank’s leadership in sustainable social development, reaffirming its commitment to inclusive growth and community empowerment.