We at India CSR Network are pleased to present an Interview of Namitesh Roy Choudhary, Vice President- PTSE & Capital Investment, LANXESS India. LANXESS India has always believed in conducting intensive CSR initiatives for the betterment of the communities, throughout the country. LANXESS India has purposefully invested in key CSR activities where the company has ensured sustainable development in areas where they operate. They focus on increasing the quality of education, environment and health of local communities surrounding their plants. They also work in accordance with the local government bodies and associations like Teach for India which are aligned with their vision, ethical standards and values.
Could you tell us more about the recent CSR initiatives undertaken by LANXESS in India?
At LANXESS India Private Limited, we act in accordance with the principles of responsible care and sustainable development to safeguard our employees, customers, stockholders, society and environment. In doing so, we ensure compliance with globally accepted social and ethical standards and values.
As an organization, LANXESS is committed to operate in accordance with the demands of economics, ecology and society. Consequently, the Company makes decisions based not only on financial parameters, but also taking into consideration the social and environmental impact arising out of the actions of the Company. The resultant CSR policy guidelines are also prepared in line with our Corporate strategy and our commitment to Corporate Responsibility. LANXESS India has undertaken a number of CSR activities in the period of 2017-2018. A few of them are as under:
- Teach for India, Mumbai, Maharashtra
LANXESS India supports Teach for India (TFI), an NGO which aims to create a movement of leaders across sectors that are committed to ensuring that every child in India receives excellent education. LANXESS has been supporting TFI since 2011 and has committed to do so until 2018. During this year, LANXESS India has supported this cause of education with an total amount of Rs. 52,87,500. Since 2011, LANXESS has supported TFI’s initiative of providing quality education by supporting 104 fellows and 3869 students.
- StreeMuktiSanghatana
LANXESS has conducted a series of Health camps in order to facilitate medical aid to the slum dwellers. In association with StreeMuktiSangathana, LANXESS India has been able to help 400 women dwelling in slum areas to undergo various awareness and medical checkup camps on Personal Hygiene, Anemia and Addiction under the supervision of medical practitioner. The program was conducted for waste pickers and domestic workers residing in Thane district and around. The activities and details involved are as below:
- Upgrade of healthcare facilities in Nagda Municipal Hospital; contribution of a sonography machine
During the Financial Year 2017-2018, LANXESS contributed a Sonography machine to the Civil Hospital in Nagda. The installation of the machine facilitates the residents of Nagda and nearby villagers to avail the facility at a reasonable and affordable cost. This support is part of a three year agreement, wherein the company has committed to aid the Nagda Civil Hospital with necessary medical equipment and facilities, supporting the entire population of the region. The company has also supported the hospital with dialysis and x-ray machines in the past.
- Solar Street Lights
LANXESS India undertook this project to support the local authorities with procurement, installation & maintenance of 25 units of Solar street lights in Mehatwas&Durgapura industrial area merely 1.5 kilometers away from LANXESS site at Nagda. The project included installation of poles, battery, solar panels, solar bulbs and maintenance for a period of three years and is estimated to benefit a population of over 5000 residents.
- Setup of Smart Digital Classroom In Nagda Government College and Municipal schools Jhagadia, Gujarat & Thane, Maharashtra
LANXESS has inked a three year long agreement with the Government College, Nagda, Madhya Pradesh for supporting the institution with e-learning tools. The company has supported the institution with eight interactive e-learning tools. It has also supported five municipal schools in Jhagadia, Gujarat and two municipal schools in Thane, Maharashtra each with Interactive e-learning tools in order to enhance the quality of education in these schools. The initiative will benefit more than 3000 students in these regions.
Apart from these projects, there are numerous such projects that LANXESS has been supporting in since its inception.
What is the focus of LANXESS’ CSR activities?
Globally, LANXESS works in the four focus areas of Education, Water, Culture and Climate Protection. However, in India, Healthcare is also seen as an important area that needs interventions at various levels. LANXESS India takes cognisance of the same and has initiated and completed quite a few projects in this area, too.
How do these CSR initiatives affect the local communities?
While at a statistical level, the monitoring reports generated during these CSR initiatives that LANXESS undertakes details out the list of beneficiaries for each project, but at the same time, qualitatively, it also lends a sense of upgrade in the quality of living of the population being impacted through these projects. For example, projects like setting up dialysis & sonography machines in Nagda civil hospital or installation of solar street lights in Mehatwas or renovation & upgrade of municipal schools in Jhagadia – these projects ease out the everyday struggle of the people living in these areas by way of providing a better physical infrastructure.
What has inspired LANXESS to undertake various CSR activities across India?
Since its inception, our company has demonstrated its commitment toward being a model corporate citizen by way of various ground level initiatives near its areas of operation across the country. This has been in practice even before the mandatory 2% spends criteria under Company’s Act, 2013 came into effect. Good for business, good for society– this short sentence perfectly sums up LANXESS’ approach to business. It stands for the firm conviction that the greatest incentives for and benefits of corporate responsibility are achieved if they are balanced with entrepreneurial and, especially, economic objectives.
How can Indian companies incorporate higher-end technologies to become more advanced in manufacturing while keeping in mind the sustainability factor?
LANXESS strongly believes that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is connected with the principles of sustainability and recognizes that its business activities have wide impact on the society in which it operates. Therefore, it is important to understand the need to safeguard the environment even as we work toward enhancing our business. Uniform standards in production with innovative storage management solutions can lend to a more sustainable approach without impacting business profits. At the same time, adherence to global standards of transportation and adopting newer technologies to reduce carbon footprint can go a long way in business process optimization as well as reducing the impact on the environment.
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