What Centum Foundation does

Centum Foundation is a charitable not-for-profit organization registered in 2005 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and headquartered in New Delhi, India. It operates as the dedicated CSR implementation arm of the Centum group (parent: Centum Learning), delivering large-scale skill development, employability, and education programs on behalf of corporate donors across 25+ Indian states and 300+ communities. The organization targets youth aged 18-35, women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, rural farmers, transgender individuals, and educational institutions, with named flagship programs including the KAABIL Employability Enhancement Training for women (20,000+ trained, 9,000+ placements), the Infosys Springboard Livelihood Program (27,000+ youth enabled, 9,000+ placements across 22 states and 18 aspirational districts), the Hunnar youth skilling initiative with Mahindra & Mahindra, the YES Youth Empowerment for Security Program, the Farm Mechanisation Training Program, and the Green Jobs & Sustainability Skills program.

Programs are structured as high-impact CSR initiatives aligned with Schedule VII of India's Companies Act, 2013, which mandates eligible companies to spend 2% of net profits on CSR. Centum Foundation is not a technology product company; its core capability is program design, on-ground delivery, monitoring and evaluation, and Schedule VII-compliant impact reporting, supported by a delivery network spanning ITIs, polytechnics, vocational centres, and community-led centres. Revenue is not commercially generated from beneficiaries but flows from corporate CSR funding allocations handled as implementation fees, supplemented by FCRA-eligible foreign contributions.

The organization holds ISO 9001:2015 quality certification alongside statutory 12A, 80G, FCRA, and Societies Registration compliance, and has been externally recognized through the NDTV Changemakers Season 5 feature, the CSR'25 Pankh Category Award, and a 500,000+ lives-impacted cumulative footprint. The stated public ambition is to scale to 1 million lives impacted by 2028, with active expansion into ESG-aligned green skills and ongoing convening of corporate CSR leaders through structured Leadership Circle events to broaden the partner pipeline.

Name

Centum Foundation

Legal name

Centum Foundation

Website

https://centumfoundation.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Centum Foundation is a not-for-profit CSR implementation partner, established in 2005 in New Delhi, that designs and delivers large-scale skill development, employability, and education programs on behalf of corporate donors across 25+ Indian states, serving youth, women, and marginalized communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

CSR Implementation Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Project, Quality & Operations (PMP PDUs, Six Sigma, Quality CE) (EDAAALAM)

Keywords

• CSR implementation services
• Skill development programs
• Employability training
• Education initiatives
• Livelihood programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. CSR Implementation Services: Centum Foundation operates as a not-for-profit organization that implements CSR programs on behalf of corporate partners. Revenue comes from CSR funding allocations from companies required to spend 2% of net profits under India's Companies Act, 2013. The organization functions as an implementation partner, not a revenue-generating entity.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Centum Foundation designs and implements large-scale CSR programs on behalf of corporate partners across India, focusing on skills development, employability training, and education initiatives. The foundation delivers programs such as youth and women skilling, placement-linked employability training, digital learning, and STEM education through a network of academic institutions and community centres spanning 25+ states. It functions as an end-to-end CSR implementation partner—handling program design, on-ground delivery, monitoring & evaluation, and impact reporting aligned with India's Companies Act 2013.

Product overview

Centum Foundation offers a portfolio of CSR implementation programs across two core verticals: Skills & Employability and Education. Under Skills & Employability, the organization delivers industry-aligned training programs including the flagship Employability Enhancement Training (EET) Program for Women, the Hunnar youth skilling initiative (in partnership with Mahindra & Mahindra), the Infosys Springboard Livelihood Program for ITI and polytechnic students, the YES Youth Empowerment for Security Program, the Farm Mechanisation Training Program, the Microfinance and Enterprise Program, and Green Jobs & Sustainability Skills training. Under Education, it provides Scholarship Support for BPL/EWS students, Smart Classrooms & Digital Learning, STEM Labs & Experiential Learning, and Women Empowerment Programs. The organization also operates the CentumKnowledgeSeries, a thought leadership webinar platform. These programs are delivered as high-impact CSR initiatives designed for corporate partners seeking to meet their statutory CSR obligations under the Companies Act, 2013.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Skills & Employability Programs Industry-aligned skill development and employability training that prepares youth and adults for sustainable livelihoods, delivered as high-impact CSR initiatives for corporate partners.
• Education Programs Education-focused CSR initiatives strengthening learning ecosystems through digital learning, STEM programs, teacher development, and school transformation aligned with NEP 2020.
• KAABIL Employability Enhancement Training (EET) Program for Women A flagship CSR initiative delivering 80–100 hours of classroom-based soft skills training to young women, coupled with placement linkages into sectors such as Auto, BFSI, Education, Retail, and Services.
• Hunnar – Skill Development Program for Youth A youth skilling initiative implemented in partnership with Mahindra & Mahindra, combining structured classroom training, practical exposure, and employer linkages to help learners transition from training to employment.
• Infosys Springboard Livelihood Program A structured CSR initiative strengthening the transition from classroom learning to employment for final-year students of ITIs and polytechnics, operational across 22 states including 18 aspirational districts.
• YES – Youth Empowerment for Security Program A youth empowerment program equipping young people with industry-demand skills, supporting their transition into stable employment through certified training and placement support. Implemented in partnership with YES Bank and YES Foundation.
• Farm Mechanisation Training Program A CSR initiative jointly undertaken with Mahindra Farm Division, training rural farmers in tractor operation and mechanised farming practices to improve agricultural productivity, reduce physical drudgery, and create sustainable livelihood opportunities.
• Livelihood Development Program for Transgender Individuals An inclusive CSR initiative providing self-employed tailoring and hand embroidery training combined with entrepreneurship support, market linkages, and long-term handholding for transgender individuals.
• Green Jobs & Sustainability Skills Skill development in emerging areas such as renewable energy, waste management, environmental health & safety (EHS), and green infrastructure.
• Microfinance and Enterprise Program A program providing microloans and essential resources alongside mentorship and business training to aspiring entrepreneurs in low-income communities to kickstart and grow small businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500,000+ lives impacted across India
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Mahindra Group / Mahindra & Mahindra LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing strategic partnership for multiple CSR initiatives including women employability enhancement (20,000+ trained), farm mechanisation (1,896 farmers trained), and youth skilling programs (Hunnar program). Mahindra provides CSR funding while Centum handles implementation across multiple states.
• YES Bank and YES FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for YES: Youth Empowerment for Security program, enabling 1,800+ youth engagement, 500+ women participants, and 1,250+ placements across four states. YES Foundation provides strategic direction and funding.
• InfosyscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInfosys Springboard Livelihood program implemented across 22 states and 18 aspirational districts, enabling 27,000+ youth with employability skills and 9,000+ placements. Infosys provides program funding and brand association.
• MicrosoftsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partnerships for youth skilling and technology-enabled education initiatives, leveraging Microsoft's technology resources and CSR commitments.
• Thomson ReuterssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported Livelihood Development Program for Transgender Individuals in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, providing 25 transgender individuals with tailoring training, entrepreneurship support, and market linkages.
• TCS (Tata Consultancy Services)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in Leadership Circle event discussing sustainable CSR practices. Represents potential for future program partnerships.
• Vodafone IdeaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in Leadership Circle event on CSR sustainability and scale. Potential future collaboration.
• bp IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in Leadership Circle event. Represents potential for energy or sustainability-focused CSR partnerships.
• SMFG India CreditminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in Leadership Circle event discussing CSR collaboration. Potential financial sector CSR partnerships.
• Servier IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in Leadership Circle event. Potential healthcare or accessibility-focused CSR initiatives.
• Everest IndustriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in Leadership Circle event. Represents potential for manufacturing or infrastructure-focused CSR programs.
• Insight Foundation GroupsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient partner for Green Jobs & Sustainability Skills program, supporting skill development in renewable energy, waste management, and environmental health & safety.
• Government BodiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborations with government bodies for program implementation and alignment with national priorities like Skill India, Digital India, Make in India, and NEP 2020.
• Development Sector PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with development sector organizations to design and implement high-impact CSR initiatives, bringing scale, innovation, and sustainability to programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Quest Alliance: India-focused non-profit delivering employability and 21st-century skills training for youth, with strong corporate and foundation partnerships. Comparable scope, beneficiary segments, and CSR-implementation business model.
• Pratham Education Foundation: One of India's largest non-profits focused on education and livelihoods for under-served youth and children. Highly comparable as a large-scale CSR-implementing non-profit delivering skill development and education outcomes across India.
• Samhita Social Ventures: Social-impact organization designing and implementing CSR and philanthropic programs for corporates in India. Directly comparable as an intermediary designing and executing corporate CSR initiatives across skilling and livelihoods.
• Piramal Foundation: Large Indian non-profit running CSR-backed programs in health, education, and livelihoods with corporate-affiliated funding. Comparable as a high-scale CSR implementation non-profit operating across multiple Indian states with corporate donors.
• NASSCOM Foundation: Industry-body non-profit running CSR-linked digital skilling and employability programs for IT and BFSI sectors. Directly comparable as a CSR implementation partner serving similar enterprise donors (Infosys, Microsoft, TCS) with placement-linked outcomes.
• Tata Strive (TCS Foundation): Tata group's skill development and CSR implementation arm, delivering employability programs across India. Directly comparable as a corporate-affiliated, CSR-funded skilling non-profit operating at similar pan-India scale.
• Magic Bus India Foundation: Youth livelihoods non-profit transitioning adolescents from school to sustainable livelihoods through structured skilling. Similar target beneficiaries, CSR funding model, and outcome-driven employability programs.

Broad incumbents

• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC): Public-private umbrella body for India's skilling ecosystem, operating Skill India mission with extensive scale and government backing. Comparable skilling domain and beneficiary base, but as a much broader incumbent coordinating thousands of training partners.
• IL&FS Skills Development Corporation: One of India's largest skill development organizations with broader government and corporate program mandates. Comparable in scale and skilling focus, but operates as a broader incumbent across many state and central government skilling schemes.

Emerging players

• Educate Girls: Non-profit focused on girls' education and enrollment in rural India. Partial overlap on the education vertical with focus on a narrower beneficiary segment (school-age girls) compared with Centum's broader skilling portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CentumCsr
• Facebookfacebook.com/CentumFoundationCSR
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centum-foundation

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centum Foundation