NEW DELHI: Businesses not only have access to several resources but also outreach to distribute them within the society. In times of crisis, it becomes their responsibility to contribute not only towards the economy directly but also to help the society stand on its feet. Keeping this in mind, the ongoing Covid2019 crisis saw ACC Ltd taking several initiatives to contribute to the goodwill of the whole society.
The brand’s CSR head Kurian Chandapillai tells Indiantelevision.com that the brand has spent close to Rs 5 crore under the aegis of ACC Trust to help migrant labourers and villagers near its plants in the past few weeks. It has also partnered with Ambuja Cement in several initiatives to support the needy in these tough times.
“We have been doing CSR activities for close to four decades now, even before it was legally mandated in India. The ACC Trust was started a few years ago to take on our social initiatives. We were very active during the recent Kerala, Orissa and Bihar floods for rehabilitation and relief drives. “We have partnered with several women self-help groups and NGOs to support the community,” Chandapillai elaborates.
During the crisis, the brand has worked on several initiatives including awareness campaigns in 93 villages across 11 states, disinfection drives benefitting over 3,75,000 people, production and distribution of face masks under alternative livelihood centres (DISHA), and distribution of more than 10,000 packets of provisions and food to migrant labourers and the disadvantaged. The women at SHGs also produced and sold sanitizers to keep themselves financially stable in the crisis.
Chandapillai says: “We have also partnered with three NGOs, Goonj, Roti Bank and Praja foundation, for taking our initiatives to cities like Delhi and Mumbai. Also, we have been supplying ventilators, in collaboration with Ambuja Cement, to hospitals in Mumbai and Gujarat.”
All these drives were organised keeping in mind social distancing norms. All the members going on the ground were given clean pairs of protective gears every day. It was ensured that no one defied any legal guidelines.
