Case Studies
#RoofToDream – A JSW Steel Initiative
Brief summary of the campaign:
The ‘Roof to Dream’ campaign by JSW Steel aimed to ensure uninterrupted education for children by replacing dilapidated school roofs with durable, steel-coated JSW roofs. With a significant number of children in India facing dropout risks due to infrastructural challenges, JSW Steel stepped in to create safe learning spaces. The initiative symbolized hope and security, ensuring that young minds could dream and pursue their education without barriers. By identifying schools in dire need, engaging local communities, and executing infrastructure upgrades, the campaign significantly improved attendance and admissions in subsequent years.
Platform across which the campaign ran:
The campaign was executed solely through direct engagement with government schools, ensuring hands-on involvement in improving educational infrastructure.
Impact of the campaign on various stakeholders:
- Students & Schools: By providing durable, weather-resistant roofs, the campaign created a secure and comfortable learning environment, leading to increased school attendance and higher admission rates.
- Local Communities: The initiative fostered a sense of trust in JSW and the education system, empowering them to take an active role in sending their children to school and improving educational infrastructure.
- Environment: The use of sustainable, steel-coated roofs enhanced building longevity, reduced maintenance costs, and minimized the environmental impact by preventing material wastage.
- JSW Brand: The campaign reinforced JSW Steel’s position as a socially responsible corporate entity committed to nation-building, strengthening its brand reputation and trust among stakeholders.
Purpose of executing the CSR initiative:
- CSR Objective: To address infrastructure gaps in education and provide long-term support to students by ensuring safe and conducive learning environments.
- Business Objective: Strengthen JSW Steel’s brand affinity by aligning its core competency—steel production—with a meaningful social impact. By using its own materials to enhance educational infrastructure, JSW created a direct link between business and community development. Additionally, the initiative helps explore potential markets for JSW products in the construction and infrastructure sectors.
- Budget Optimization: No fixed budgets were allocated per school. Instead, an on-ground recce was conducted to assess the most pressing needs, and priorities were listed accordingly. Budget requisitions were submitted based on these assessments, and resources were optimized by leveraging JSW’s supply chain, and engaging employee volunteers to maximize impact while maintaining cost efficiency.
Challenges faced and strategies executed for implementing the campaign:
- Identifying Schools with the Most Urgent Needs: Team conducted extensive on-ground research to assess infrastructure conditions. One-on-one interviews with school authorities helped prioritize schools based on student population and the severity of roof damage.
- Logistical Constraints in Remote Areas: Many schools were in hard-to-reach locations, making resource availability a challenge. JSW’s distribution system took extra efforts to ensure timely delivery of required raw materials, leveraging its supply chain capabilities to overcome these hurdles.
- Addressing Broader Infrastructure Issues: While the primary focus was on roof replacements, some schools required complete renovations. Special escalations to higher authorities within JSW were made to secure additional funding, leading to enhanced refurbishments wherever needed.
- Ensuring Long-Term Maintenance: Poor maintenance in schools was a key challenge. To combat this, high-quality, durable JSW steel products were installed to ensure longevity and sustainability, reducing the need for frequent repairs and upkeep.
How was the campaign message aligned with the target audience and what was the impact created:
- Primary Audience: School children, parents, teachers, and local communities.
- Message Alignment: Education is a fundamental right, and infrastructure should not be a barrier.
- Community Engagement: After completing the school revamps, JSW organized small events at each school, inviting the entire village, key opinion leaders, and local influencers. During these gatherings, JSW representatives explained the purpose of the initiative and its impact, encouraging parents to re-enroll their children in school, thereby fostering a culture of education within the community.
- Impact Created: Increased school enrolment, improved learning conditions, and heightened brand credibility.
Measurable results/outcome of the campaign:
- Reach & Engagement: Social media campaign reached millions, creating significant awareness.
- Direct Impact: Over 30,000+ children in ~250 schools benefited from the initiative.
- Brand Value: Strengthened JSW’s image as a socially responsible brand.
- Media Coverage: Featured across major news platforms, reinforcing the impact.
Elevator Pitch: How the campaign distinguished itself from competitors
- Unique Approach: Unlike traditional CSR initiatives, ‘Roof to Dream’ directly links JSW’s expertise in steel with a critical societal need.
- Tangible & Scalable Impact: The initiative has already transformed ~250 schools and can be scaled further.
- Sustainable & Long-Term Change: By addressing infrastructure challenges, the campaign has created lasting value for education in India.
- Strong Brand Alignment: Seamlessly integrates business strength with social responsibility, making it a benchmark for impactful CSR.