COVID-19 provided opportunities to the private sector and CSOs to partner and collaborate for various activities, campaigns and interventions targeted at addressing the direct and indirect impact of the pandemic. While some of these activities provided immediate relief during the lockdown periods, others are focused on addressing the long term impacts of the pandemic.

1. COVID-19 Vaccination Drives – In January 2021, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs issued a notification stating that corporates can conduct Covid-19 vaccination drives in communities as part of their CSR. This offers opportunities for companies and CSOs to collaborate and organize vaccination drives across the country for communities.
2. Online Education – COVID-19 forced schools to shut down disrupting traditional ways of education and forcing schools to conduct digital classes. This affected the children from the vulnerable groups the worst because of their limited or zero access to internet technology. Companies and CSOs can partner to provide education to such children. They can help them with proper resources by setting up computer labs, by crowdsourcing volunteer teachers or by providing them with tablets and mobile phones.
3. Vocational Skill Training – COVID-19 rendered millions of workers from the informal sector jobless. Companies and CSOs can set up vocational skill training centres for vulnerable groups and create livelihood opportunities for them.
4. Dry Ration/Cooked Meals – The economic impact of COVID-19 has left millions of people from the marginalised section without jobs and who are facing a shortage of food. Companies and CSOs can partner to provide cooked meals or distribute dry ration kits to the underprivileged sections of society.
5. COVID-19 Isolation Centres – Companies and CSOs can collaborate for setting up isolation centres for COVID patients from the marginalised section of the society.
6. Oxygen Concentrators/Medical Supplies – CSOs and companies can partner to provide medical supplies to the poor and can also set up oxygen distribution centres. Many corporations across the country have declared to set up oxygen plants as part of their CSR activity to address the shortage of oxygen in the country.

Expanding collaboration with CSOs would supplement government capacities and efforts for efficient implementation and risk mitigation in COVID-19 response programs. The recovery post-pandemic is a long and strenuous process and requires mobilization at national scale. An efficient and effective partnership between the government, the CSOs and the private sector is the way forward.