Can the progress of an individual happen without the collective advancement of the society? The answer to all these questions is “No”. In this era of cut-throat competition, excessive workloads and constant endeavour to complete daily targets, Jaguar Land Rover has not forgotten that there is a world around as well. Realizing that it has a social responsibility towards the underprivileged sections of the society and the environment where we reside, Jaguar Land Rover, through its various projects, is trying its best to promote environmental sustainability and community support.
If we have a cursory glance over the CSR policies of Jaguar Land Rover India, it can be stated that the corpus spent by the organisation on CSR activities annually, includes at least 2 percent of the average net profits made during the three immediately preceding financial years. Also, the periodic review and monitoring of CSR Policy implementation is in the hands of Governance structure. This structure comprises of Jaguar Land Rover India Board and CSR Board Committee. CSR projects are the pivotal points around which the core Jaguar Land Rover values like integrity, understanding, responsibility, unity and excellence rotate.
From crates to classrooms
The CSR Program is not restricted to any particular domain, instead it aims to contribute something in diverse spheres like Education, Health, Environment and Employability. “From Crates to Classrooms” is one of the brilliant examples of the projects undertaken by Jaguar Land Rover India, Pune. This project is a big justice to the goals of environmental sustainability and social support. Various parts of cars that arrive in wooden skids or pallets at the manufacturing centre are converted into the classroom desks by local carpenters.
Till now, several hundreds of desks have been manufactured and donated to approximately seven educational centers, in and around Pune. Young school children are also invited sometimes to have the manufacturing plant tour. This is yet again another attempt by the organization to ignite the potential inside these young minds and inspire them to achieve great things in life.
Making our ecosystem a bit greener
Jaguar Land Rover India has contributed hugely to making our ecosystem a bit greener. Close to 400 trees in Khadakwasla dam catchment area and around 200 trees in Baner, a suburb in Maharashtra have been planted. JLR has also actively participated in the “Khadakwasla dam cleaning project” initiated by NGO named Green Thumb. This project aimed to address the problem of silt accumulation in the dam due to soil erosion. Around 60 percent of the dam was filled with silt leading to reduced water storage capacity.
Sachin Bendre, HR Business partner of Jaguar Land Rover India Operations cites, “We have a plan to plant more than 1 lakh trees. Now people go to the dam on weekends as a nice picnic spot and plant trees there which is a great learning for the young generation.” He also strongly recommends, “we can launch a philanthropic initiative where every employee of Jaguar Land Rover can donate some amount to CSR fund on his/her birthday for planting trees, thereby adding some more oxygen to the environment.”
Improving local schools
The list doesn’t end here. Jaguar Land Rover India has identified 26 schools in Bhor district of Pune and built urinals and washrooms there with a promise from the schools’ administration that proper maintenance will be done from their end. Besides this, many schools have also been painted by our employees themselves.
Another stirring feat of Jaguar Land Rover India is the initiative of groundwater recharge in Pashan area in Baner. Wells used to run dry in the 70 feet high rock area as water percolation was a tough challenge here. Jaguar Land Rover India along with Municipal Corporation played a crucial role in building contours along the mountainous region and drilling multiple borewells. In a period of mere 5 months, natural filtration and refilling occurred, studding yet another bead in the success garland of Jaguar Land Rover India. Sachin Bendre states, “We can start an education program on rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge. More borewells can also be built.”
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give
The fact cannot be denied that CSR Activities have provided a golden opportunity to all the employees of Jaguar Land Rover India to contribute something towards the society, environment and country which gives a boost to their self-pride and satisfaction. It is a matter of honour for them to be a part of such organisation which has pledged to lift the downtrodden strata of the society. Jaguar Land Rover India has not undertaken CSR Activities just to gain publicity, instead it has accepted CSR as a business imperative wholeheartedly. Jaguar Land Rover not just preaches but takes efforts in the direction of actualising the visions of being a societal change.
