Jayshree GanguliA vast majority of the general public is under the impression that multinational corporations, while helping to grow the economy, don’t really do much to help the environment or the people who work for them.
Although this may prove to be a substantive point with plenty of arguments to be made on either side, there have been a number of companies that have gone beyond their means to do the right thing.
However, plenty of laws and policies have been formed to tackle both these issues on a regular basis. In fact, there has been a legislation too, to get all profitable companies to not only to complete their motto of providing employment but also to take on social responsibilities to resolve some environmental issues.
With the awareness of protecting the ecosystem and with a number of companies willing to partake in building a sustainable system, there has been a revolution of sorts.
Here are a few examples of popular Indian companies who have implemented some of the most effective CSR strategies that do good for the environment.
The Pepsico Story
After considerable backlash due to several environmental issues caused by the company, Pepsico introduced two key programs to for environmental management. They were Waste to Wealth and Replenishing Water.
Under the Replenishing Water program, the MNC tackled the issue of groundwater depletion and water quality by introducing the concept of positive water balance. They began with implementing In-Plant Water Recharge and Zero Water Discharge programs at their manufacturing plants. Apart from this they also took up projects that focus on enhancing and rejuvenating local water bodies in Uttarakhand and Karnataka. By doing this, they achieved a recharge rate of 300 million litres of water every year.
The Waste to Wealth program also came back with positive results for the company. Through this program, Pepsico reduced material wastage with the help of sustainable packaging and recycling of waste generated within its plants. The firm is currently using a ‘lightweighting’ method which has been successful in generating less waste, is cost-effective, and has drastically reduced consumption of raw materials.
water to wealth program - csr india
The Successful Tale Of Shree Cement
The next tale is just as interesting and impressive as any other. Shree Cement, a cement manufacturing company, has been converting thermal waste to energy for use in its day-to-day operations.
Based in Ajmer, Rajasthan, Shree Cement is one of the largest cement manufacturers in Northern India. It conserves both energy and resources with its pioneering ‘Waste Heat Recovery’ (WHR) project.
Mobilised to its full potential within just 17 months as opposed to the industry standard of 24 months, the WHR project has been nothing short of a monumental milestone.
sree cement csr program
This project has cut down the company’s capital expenditures on water and electricity while reducing the negative effects cement production has on the ecosystem. The reuse of thermal waste generated during its cement production cycle saves over 1250 kl of water, reduces CO2 emission by 1312 tonnes, and reduces SOx emission by 30 tonnes a day.
The heat generated is being used and reused to fuel the company’s operations and is also transferred to the local municipal body and other interested parties.
Although the capital cost of setting up this operation has been $1.8 million with the ROI projected to arrive after 7-8 years, the company stands by its “clean and green is profitable” motto.
These are the two most successful example of companies that have been working towards meeting their business targets, while at the same time contributing to the betterment of the environment as a whole.
References:
- http://www.unep.org/resourceefficiency/Portals/24147/scp/business/dialogue/2012/pdf/BCGE_Technical_Background_Paper.pdf
- http://www.ipcbee.com/vol64/012-ICEE2014-E114.pdf
- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Plant_growing_through_hole_in_cement.jpg
- https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2014/12/24/05/02/drops-of-water-578897_960_720.jpg