VAHDAM India has endeavoured to build and grow its business based on its core philosophy: DO GOOD BY DOING GOOD. From sustainability to their social responsibility, it has strived to make a positive impact on the environment.
As a young company that is committed to people and the planet, it has always strived to make its business progressively sustainable and responsible. In 2020, the company became one of the first tea brands in Asia to get a Climate Neutral Certification in line with its long-term goal of aligning to UN SDGs by 2030.
The same year, VAHDAM India worked with ‘rePurpose Global’, to measure and offset its plastic usage, and become one of the first tea brands to get the Plastic Neutral certification too. In 2020, VAHDAM took its first steps to measure its carbon footprint by measuring emissions under Scopes 1, 2 and 3 as per the Greenhouse Gas Protocol for the year 2019.
Scope 1 – Covers direct emissions from owned or controlled sources.
Scope 2 – Covers indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the company
Scope 3 – Includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain
Post measurement & verification of its carbon footprints by ClimateNeutral USA, the brand shortlists projects for its carbon-credits, from platforms verified by a global carbon-credit platform (such as GoldStandard, Switzerland). In addition, it purchases carbon credits that are from vintage years that are maximum two years from its certification year.
VAHDAM India offsets its carbon footprint to ‘neutralize’ its emissions by purchasing credits in projects that work at reducing, removing or avoiding emissions or carbon from traditional fossil fuels, and thus helping control climate. It purchases an equivalent amount of carbon credits in projects that are based in India and are working on clean energy, renewable energy and reduction/replacement of fuel based energy consumption.
The brand’s carbon footprint for the year 2020 was 2,954 tCo2e under the 3 scopes mentioned above and was offset in the following projects:
– Biomass Power Project at Godawari Power and Ispat Limited, Chhattisgarh
Credits Purchased: 954
– Wind Power Project in Madhya Pradesh, India
Credits Purchased: 1100
– Improved Wood Stoves in Udaipur – Helping Women and Environment
Credits Purchased: 900
As part of its long-term commitment to climate change, they are focussed on reducing their carbon footprint by progressively looking at doing more with less with our energy consumption such as, reducing office electricity usage, switching to recycle materials, reducing carbon emissions in logistics and transport, etc. with set targets to achieve across sectors of operation with the company.
The organisation also made it a point to regularly measure its plastic footprint by carefully calculating the total amount of plastic that is used in its operations. This footprint is then neutralized by investments in various projects. By partnering with rePurpose Global, VAHDAM India is transforming Hyderabad’s waste sector.
This first-of-its-kind project entails the recovery and processing of low-value, single-use plastic waste such as multi-laminate plastic (MLP). The project involves creating a financial subsidy for recovery, segregation, and processing of MLP.
Some prominent initiatives mentioned below:
16,673 kgs of plastic waste (April-December 2020) diverted from oceans and landfills (equivalent to 1,138,974 plastic bottles or 1,423,457 plastic pouches)
60 Waste Workers & Family Members Provided with Additional Income
10,510 kg of CO2 emissions avoided
Simultaneously, the brand is doing a bunch of things to reduce their plastic and carbon footprints in their operations through initiatives like reduced packaging, lesser plastic & use of sustainable packing materials wherever viable. The bare minimum quantity used as of now is for ensuring safety and freshness & quality of its products.
Till the time the brand is completely plastic free and carbon negative in their operations, their endeavour is to always offset the carbon footprint and emissions created.
The brand’s commitment has always been purpose beyond profits, relationship beyond ratios, and value beyond numbers
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