As one of the largest financial institutions in India, ICICI's overall mission has been to build the capacities of commercial entities and, thereby, enable them to become agents of economic change. We believe that building the capacities of the poorest of the poor to participate in the economy and society is a natural extension of this role. With this in mind, ICICI has been contributing to the social sector for nearly 30 years, mainly by financing and advising organizations working in the development sector.

ICICI has a permanent and full-time group, the Social Initiatives Group (SIG), to concentrate on its development-related initiatives. Through the SIG, ICICI seeks to define and effectively fulfill its responsibilities as a corporate citizen. The group believes that education and health are basic prerequisites for all people, especially the chronically deprived, to participate in the larger economy. Universal access to basic financial services, and effective use of appropriate technologies will create greater opportunities for people to participate in the economy in an equitable and productive manner. With this in mind, the group has focused its attention on identifying and supporting initiatives in:

• Pre-primary and primary education
• Health, especially reduction of infant mortality rates
• Micro-finance
• Application of information technology and other technologies to facilitate work in the above faster, and reach a wider audience.