Major Tobacco Comapnies are trying hard to swim against the tide of anti-tobacco activists. Governments and other NGOs are convinced about the killer effects of tobacco and are agressively campainigning for a tobacco free environment. Comapnies are trying to face this agression in many ways and Corporate Social responsibility is one of the ways adopted. The article discusses how the companies, over a period of time, adopted CSR as a tool and the various initiatives that are being taken for the benefit of the people.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can be defined as how businesses align their values and behavior with the expectations and needs of the stakeholders - not just customers and investors, but also employees, suppliers, communities, regulators, special interest groups and society as a whole. It is about what a company gives back to the society. Considering the negative effects of smoking, tobacco companies are the most vulnerable to attacks from the social activists. There is an increasing hostility between people for and against tobacco production and sales. The lobbies that are favoring tobacco companies include the tobacco farmers, the national tobacco associations, and the multinational tobacco companies; and opposing these people are the health workers, the NGO's (consumer groups, media), the academia, and the multilateral organizations like WHO, UNICEF and World Bank.

Most tobacco companies attract constant attention for their line of business. Tobacco is a health hazard. It is also one of the cheapest and most easily available forms of addiction. The sheer magnitude of diseases attached to tobacco addiction is shocking. Most of them are lethal, like cancer and tuberculosis. Over the years, the tobacco companies have been the target of health activists, social workers and other media persons. They are accused of selling life taking substances. For the companies established in this business, it is a catch 22 situation. They also score high on the grounds of employment provided by their operations to millions of people. For the government, tobacco and related products rank among the highest revenue earners.

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