Published on April 09, 2025
Education has long been a cornerstone of the Tata group’s commitment to inclusive growth. As one of the five pillars (5Es) of the Tata Affirmative Action Programme (TAAP) framework, it continues to play a critical role in shaping empowered individuals and thriving communities.
To better understand the maturity of education programmes across the Group, the Tata Business Excellence Group (TBExG) conducted its 45th Process Benchmarking Study. The study drew participation from 23 Tata companies spanning eight business verticals and was designed in close collaboration with subject matter experts (SMEs) from within the Group.
Study objectives and approach
The study focused on evaluating the structure, reach and impact of education-related initiatives across Tata companies. It covered multiple dimensions, including programme levels, promotion, focus schools, community and government engagement, implementation and governance, engagement activities and inclusion and long-term impact. The findings were shared via a webinar on April 2, 2025.
The study was designed by TBExG in collaboration with subject matter experts (SMEs) from Tata companies, who also shared practices from their respective companies during the session.
Key insights from the study
The benchmarking exercise revealed a number of themes that highlight the evolving maturity of education programmes within the Group:
- Diverse Budget Allocation: Budgets varied significantly, but many Tata companies met or exceeded global benchmarks.
- Emphasis on Foundational Learning: Early education was a strong focus, with initiatives in higher education including financial aid and career guidance.
- Collaborative Stakeholder Engagement: Companies collaborated with stakeholders to improve education quality with a focus on teacher training and enrolment.
- Structured Governance: Programmes were implemented through a mix of financial and non-financial partnerships with regular reviews by the leadership.
- Engagement Activities: Key efforts included providing school supplies, improving infrastructure, conducting teacher training and supporting extracurriculars, health and sports.
- Focus on Measurable Impact: Most programmes aimed to reduce dropout rates, improve retention and align education outcomes with employability.
The next steps
TBExG will share detailed reports with Group companies to help identify improvement areas. Best practices sharing sessions will be organised to foster mutual learning and sharing among AA champions. TBExG will also support companies in implementing learnings with help from the AA champions, ensuring Group-wide progress on education programme maturity.
As the Group collectively deepens its investment in education, these shared learnings provide a pathway to strengthen programme effectiveness, improve outcomes and expand reach — driving meaningful change where it matters most.