????6月26日晚上，拉坦?塔塔獲得了洛克菲勒基金會（Rockefeller Foundation）頒發的創新終身成就獎。這位塔塔集團（Tata Group）的董事長將其家族企業打造成為了國際性大公司，涵蓋了從咨詢服務到著名汽車品牌的多個領域，業務遍及80個國家。約66%的塔塔集團股份由120年前創建的慈善信托基金持有。在紐約舉行的歡迎會上，他向洛克菲勒基金會主席朱迪斯?羅丁博士談到了其漫長的職業生涯。以下是談話摘錄（略有編輯）。

關于企業應該如何看待社會責任：

????我認為，企業應該認識到，他們在哪里開展業務，就會給哪里帶來變化。砍伐亞馬遜森林的企業會留下巨大的傷疤，他們本不想如此，但他們卻這么做了。企業還應該認識到，他們需要回饋社會，做些事情來促進社會的繁榮。這些在發展中國家尤其明顯，因為那里的差異性非常大。

關于他在年輕時就被任命為塔塔集團掌門人：

????我是站在巨人的肩上。他是個巨人。他就是JRD?塔塔先生。他是印度商界的傳奇人物，執掌了塔塔集團50年的時間。人們幾乎開始以為他將永遠呆下去。突然之間，我覺得自己被扔進了游泳池底，試圖跟上他的腳步。

????我想，那時我腦中的最大難題是如何效仿他并跟上他的腳步。但我發現，我永遠也無法成為他，我應該做我自己。當時媒體人士就是這么說的。他們的評價并不友好，說我會毀了塔塔集團，說我不具備他的能力和天資。不久后我意識到，公司不是靠我，而是靠所有的員工。我認為，我所取得的成就完全依賴于40萬公司員工對我的支持。

關于慈善動機：

????這很難用言語來表達。當我看到非洲和部分亞洲國家的極度貧困，卻發現自己生活舒適、衣食無憂，我覺得只有那些麻木不仁的人才會認為自己不必為此做些事情。我們不僅要捐款捐物，還要幫助貧困地區發展經濟。那些饑餓的孩子們眼中閃爍著光亮和智慧，但他們卻沒有得到機會。只有鐵石心腸的人才不會去做些事情。

關于最令他感動的事情：

????有幾件事情，不是只有一件事情。常常令我感動的就是看到某個社區因為缺水而幾近衰敗，于是我引入了節約用水和農業方面的一些簡單原則。兩三年后，我發現那個社區由于擁有了肥沃的土地而突然之間變得繁榮起來。整個社區發生了翻天覆地的變化，不久后社區的居民們就將為社會做出貢獻。沒有比看到這種轉變更令我高興的事情了。

????譯者：千牛絮

????Last night, Ratan N. Tata received a lifetime achievement award for innovation from The Rockefeller Foundation. Tata, chairman of the Tata Group, built his family's company into a massive, global business ranging from consultancy services to well-known automotive brands stretching across 80 countries. Some 66% of Tata is owned by philanthropic trusts founded 120 years ago. At a reception in New York City, he spoke with the foundation's president, Dr. Judith Rodin, about his long career. What follows are lightly edited excerpts.

On how business should think about social responsibility:

????I think business should be sensitive to the fact that businesses are making a difference in the places that they operate. A company going into the Amazon and quarrying raw materials leaves behind a tremendous scar, which they don't attempt to do but which they do. And they need to be sensitive to the fact that they need to give back to the community and do things to help the prosperity of that community. This is all the more evident in the developing world where the disparities are so huge.

On being named to his role as a young man:

????I followed someone who had very large shoes. He had very large shoes. Mr. JRD Tata. He was a legend in the Indian business community. He had been at the helm of the Tata organization for 50 years. You were almost starting to think he was going to be there forever. You feel suddenly that you've been thrown into the deep end of the swimming pool, trying to follow him.

????I think the greatest dilemma in mind was how to mimic him and follow in his footsteps. And I realized that I could never be him and I should try to be whoever I was. That was read by those in the media, which had been less than friendly, as someone who would destroy the group, who didn't have his competence, his capability. I realised fairly soon it was not you but the entire workforce that you count on. I think I have only achieved what that force of 400,000 people has been able to support me to do.

On the philanthropic motive:

????It's difficult to put into words. But when you see, as you do in Africa or parts of Asia, abject poverty and you look at yourself as being a person that has wellbeing and comforts, I think it takes an insensitive person not to think they need to do something that's not just handing out dough but playing a role in helping get prosperity to the community where they are. When you see hungry children, you see bright eyes, intelligent eyes of children who aren't given a chance. It would take a very tough person not to what to do something.

On what experience has moved him the most:

????There have been several; there isn't really a single one I can talk of. What moves one very often is seeing a community that is almost decrepit because of lack of water. And then you bring in simple principles of conserving water and agriculture. After two or three years, you see that community suddenly becoming prosperous because they have fertile land. The whole community changes and, fairly soon, the members of that community will contribute to society. Nothing gives you greater pleasure than to see that transformation.