CII Full Form

CII full form is Confederation of Indian Industry. it is a non-government or not-for-profit industry and is also an industrial-managed organization that works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the growth of industries in India. The CII was founded in year 1895 and its headquarter is situated in New Delhi.

What is the Full Form of CII?

As mentioned above the full form of CII is Confederation of Indian Industry. The CII is a not-for-profit & non-government organization. It was established in the year 1895 with a motive to create a conducive environment for the growth of Indian business and civil society through strategic and advisory services.  CII has more than 8,000 members from both private and public sectors. It focuses mainly on concerns related to government policies and also serves as an instrument for the advancement of the sector of India’s financial policy reforms. During the economic liberalization in 1991, the CII played an important role in helping to remove major barriers between the Indian economy and the rest of the world. 

History of CII

The idea for forming CII was started at the beginning of the year 1895 when five firms related to the planning sector decided to establish the Engineering and Iron Trades Association (EITA) which aimed to promote interests in the market later EITA was renamed to Indian Engineering Association (IEA) in the year 1912. The firms included Martin & Company, Burn & Company, John King & Company, Jessop & Company, and Turner Morrison & Company.  In year 1942 Engineering Association of India (EAI) was established as a member of the Indian Chamber of Commerce to promote Indian engineering companies. Later during the year 1974 IEA and EAI got combined and formed the Association of Indian Engineering Industry (AIEI). In 1986, AIEI was selected as the Confederation of Engineering Industries to represent the progress of the organization. Later in 1991 industrial regulations were eliminated and from 1 January 1991 CEI was known by CII.

Objective of CII

Below mentioned are the objectives of forming CII:

• CII helps in recognizing and promoting business participation in India's economic development
• Enhances society with the involvement of business
• Provides details to Govt. and Industry 
• Support business efforts to improve performance, environment, and customers.
• Promotes the globalization of the Indian economy and its integration into the global economy.
• Deals with small businesses to make them more effective

Areas covered by CII

• Policy advocacy: CII works completely with the government to create policies that support trade. It also advises various government agencies and bodies.
• Business: CII works to improve India's business environment by talking about issues such as infrastructure, tax and labor laws.
• Capacity building: CII provides training and development to its members which helps them development in their skills and knowledge. CII also conducts research on various business topics.
• Networking: CII provides a platform for discussion among its members and with other stakeholders. It also organizes events and meetings to promote business-government dialogue.
• Corporate citizenship: CII encourages its members to engage in active citizenship events or activities. It also supports its members in the implementation of these activities.
• Education & skill development: CII provides scholarships and training for students and young professionals. It also promotes entrepreneurship and innovation.
• Environment & Sustainability: CII promotes sustainable practices going in the industry sector. They also conduct research on climate change and other environmental issues.
• International Trade: CII helps to promote India's economic and trade relations with other countries. It also provides support to Indian businesses that want to expand abroad.
• Social development: CII helps in improving the lives of people under the poor and marginal category. They also promote gender equality & social justice.

Advantages of CII

• A platform for interest representation: CII is the voice for people from the Indian industry and works to represent the interests of its member companies at the national and international levels.
• Policy advocacy: CII works to influence government policies and regulations that affect Indian trade and industry and helps create a caring environment for businesses to operate.
• Capacity building: CII helps in providing training & development opportunities for Indian businesses through a variety of initiatives which includes conferences, seminars and other events which result to build capacity. 
• Networking opportunities: CII organizes various events such as exhibitions, conferences, and business meetings which help in providing opportunities to build networks and relationships.
• Promoting trade & investment: CII is committed to promoting trade and investment between India and other countries by helping businesses open up new markets and opportunities.
• Supports new & emerging industries: CII supports the growth of emerging industries in India through R&D activities and collaboration with other organizations. 
• Sustainability & corporate social responsibility: CII promotes sustainable development and corporate social responsibility through initiatives such as the CII-ITC Sustainability Award and more.

Disadvantages of CII

• Requires Membership Fees: CII pays membership fees to its member companies. These costs can be seen as a burden for some businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• Limited influence: As mentioned above CII also influence government policies and regulations, but it completely depends on policymakers and government officials to decide which policies to implement, which means that CII may not achieve to get desired results every time
• Limited reach: Although CII has many participating companies, still it does not represent all Indian businesses which means that the views and interests of some businesses may not be well represented.
• Dependent on government policies: CII's supports and promotes the growth of the Indian economy but they have to follow rules and regulations set by the government.

Initiatives Taken by CII

• India 75: This initiative focuses on how India will look 75 years after independence. It revolves around ten themes: agriculture, education and skills development, health, infrastructure, environment, arts, sports and text, etc.

• Young Indians:  The initiative includes young leaders in national development. Through programs such as MASOOM, Gift An Organ and Road Safety, CII helps in connecting with youth. The initiative was also involved in the health emergency during Covid-19.

• Indian Women Network: The initiative aims to create a female workforce. It also helped in starting the equal opportunity pledge for the companies that helps in providing equal opportunities to women in the workplace.

• National Foundation for Corporate Governance: The initiative aims to provide ethical and transparent governance in corporate practices.

Written By:

Deepit Mathur