ExxonMobil has pivoted its CSR Focus towards Covid-19 relief and recovery, Naveen Shukla, Director, ExxonMobil Services and Technology said in an interview with India CSR. Excerpts:
What do ExxonMobil’s CSR initiatives envision for India? What are the major contribution areas?
At ExxonMobil, our CSR initiatives are all about creating real value for our communities. When deciding whether to back a CSR program, one of the first questions we ask ourselves is: how will this improve the lives of people? What kind of enduring benefits will it create for our communities? That’s our foremost guiding principle, which also explains why most of our initiatives focus on connecting the disadvantaged sections with meaningful opportunities to transform their lives. The idea, always, is to create a long-term advantage.
ExxonMobil is creating a positive impact on society in a variety of ways. We are helping to build sanitation infrastructure in public schools and refurbish anganwadis; funding education of students from challenged backgrounds with a special focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); and supporting poor families in building a better future for their next generations. Additionally, we have a strong focus on facilitating access to quality healthcare for people who can’t afford it.
How has your approach towards CSR changed post the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic?
As soon as the lockdown was announced in 2020, we pivoted our CSR efforts towards COVID-19 relief. We recognize that here’s a formidable challenge that needs all hands-on deck. So, we are doing our best to provide relief to those affected by the pandemic.
But we also know that, eventually, when the pandemic is behind us, there’s a real risk of a deeper, long-lasting impact on the disadvantaged sections. The road to recovery for those on the margins could be especially arduous and they will need sustained support to get back on their feet.
We have invested in improving the life of the marginalized through our long-term CSR initiatives, and we are committed to supporting their recovery beyond the pandemic. With that as a key CSR focus, we will continue to support social and economically disadvantaged communities, so that they are not left behind in the broader recovery from the pandemic disruption.
What initiatives have you taken for COVID-19 relief and recovery in India?
For more than a year, we have been actively supporting India’s fight against COVID-19. We have come a long way since the beginning of the pandemic, but one of the most urgent needs early on was to keep our frontline health workers safe. So, our initial COVID CSR initiatives focused on providing personal protective equipment for those on the frontlines of the pandemic, including the Bengaluru police personnel and sanitation workers.
During the second wave, oxygen and ICU beds emerged as the biggest priority, so we have doubled down on our COVID support this year. At the peak of the second wave, we donated oxygen concentrators and BiPAP machines (a type of ventilator) to hospitals in Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai.
But we have also taken the long-term view and boosted preparedness for any potential outbreaks in the future. We have set up modular ICU centers at the general hospitals in Jayanagar and Yelahanka (Bengaluru) to boost ICU bed availability for COVID emergencies. And this is flexible health infrastructure we are talking about. These fully portable ICUs can not only be transported to the next hospital needing them but can also be converted into rural primary health centers (PHCs) depending on need.
Additionally, we have set up an oxygen-generation plant at the Bengaluru Medical College that can cater to the oxygen needs of around 80 people at any given time. So, our COVID support is not limited to meeting the most pressing immediate needs, but is equally geared towards preparing for the next wave.
What are your future plans with regards to CSR initiatives in India?
Our long-term CSR focus is unwavering. We will continue to create access to high-quality education to connect the next generation with life-transforming opportunities. Our other key priorities include supporting India’s cleanliness goals by building sanitation infrastructure and providing healthcare for the needy. We are also working to identify ways to support Karnataka’s environmental needs and will soon be supporting a project aimed at water-table rejuvenation to be implemented in parks around Bengaluru.
As the pandemic recedes, one of the things I’m excited about is resuming active employee volunteering. Bengaluru has ExxonMobil’s biggest employee base in India, and our employees have always shown tremendous enthusiasm in volunteering for our CSR causes. During the lockdown, our employees adapted quickly to the virtual format for volunteering and conducted online mentoring sessions for young students who we support through our CSR programs. So when the time is right from a safety viewpoint, we would like to again start leveraging their fantastic spirit to contribute to the social good.
