NEW DELHI: Apollo Tyres, in line with its core philosophy of sustainable growth, strives to work continuously with its Supply Chain Partners on environmental, economic and social aspects to enable sustainable natural rubber supply chain, company informed today.
It said that Apollo Tyres’ Partnership Pact, which is being used successfully since 2008, helps and supports its partners to integrate relevant policies and processes related to the environment, occupational health and safety, human rights and labour laws into their business and decision making processes. This is further extending the use of environmentally responsible practices for growing natural rubber within the overall supply chain network.
Along with laying down clear processes to safeguard the environment, Apollo Tyres was the first company to provide training in Sheet Rubber grading and to empower the women in an area which was hitherto male dominated.
Further, the company has also established a Rubber Sheet Making Unit for the rubber tappers’ wives in Kottayam, Kerala. The group of women running this Unit has been trained by Apollo Tyres, in association with Rubber Board of India, on rubber tapping, sheet making, sheet smoking and general entrepreneurial skills.
They have also been linked to the rubber dealers to directly market their produce from this unit. The company plans to replicate this model soon, which will empower more women, and at the same time, help with getting better quality rubber sheets.
In the last two years, Apollo Tyres has reached out to nearly 600 women in Kottayam, who had very little or no income, and provided them with alternate sources of livelihood. These women have been trained in jackfruit processing, mushroom cultivation, aqua culture, organic farming and apiculture. In addition, the company has been providing healthcare facilities by conducting regular health camps and specialised cancer screening camps for around 500 rubber tapper’s families.
(Report based on statement issued by the organization)
