The Bengaluru-based Centre for Sustainability Development (CSD) announced that it obtained the ISO 9001:2008 certifi cation recently, the fi rst NGO in India to do so. The Quality Management Standard is usually adopted by industries and product or service related business fi rms to establish and maintain good product quality standards and enhance customer satisfaction. CSD decided to go for this certifi cation since it wanted to distance itself from the stigma most NGOs carry – of not being transparent in their working and quality related procedures.
During its decade long operations, CSD has had some major achievements in helping the Karnataka government with important fi eld level inputs from citizens and industry of which the most effective ones are: Preparing the Environment Report Card of Bangalore, fi rst one in 2005 and the second in 2012; Karnataka Climate Change Action Plan in 2012 and Primary Collection of Solid Waste and Segregation in Bangalore in 2014.
CSD’s outreach to communities includes skill development and capacity building through technical and managerial trainings in fi elds of energy effi ciency and management, renewable energy, water & waste management, environmental governance, sustainable development, pollution control and enhancing biodiversity. Recently, CSD prepared a Smart Plan for Devenahalli region, near the Kempegowda International Airport, where huge industrial development is expected in the near future. Its future plans include development of the Smart Cities Initiative launched in 2013, Green Skill Academy for training and development and Eco-choice, the energy portal to help consumers make informed, energy-effi cient and eco-friendly purchases.
www.ecochoice.in and www.csdindia.in
