ITC said that it had been ranked No. 1 for the second consecutive year in the CSR category of the recently published Nielsen Corporate Image Monitor 2012-13.
“ITC’s top position in the ratings in the category, ‘Most active in CSR’ is an acknowledgement of the scale and impact of its sustainability initiatives, which have created large-scale livelihoods and augmented natural resources,” the company stated in a note posted on its website.
“ITC’s businesses and value chains have created sustainable livelihoods for five million people, many of whom belong to the poorest sections of society.
“The company’s performance on augmenting scarce natural resources, as well as combating climate change, has been globally recognized.
“ITC is the only company in the world to be carbon positive (for seven years in a row), water positive (for 10 years consecutively), and solid waste recycling positive (for five years). All its luxury hotels are LEED Platinum Certified. Renewable energy constitutes nearly 40 percent of its total energy consumption.
“As part of its 360-degree interventions in rural agricultural communities, ITC has constantly endeavoured to strengthen and broad-base livelihood options through both farm and off-farm activities. ITC’s e-Choupal, the world’s largest rural digital infrastructure, has today empowered over four million farmers. ITC’s integrated Watershed Development Program provides soil and moisture conservation to farmers in water stressed areas and helps promote sustainable agriculture, apart from contributing to ITC’s water positive status. This program covers over 100,000 hectares of water-stressed areas in rural India. ITC’s Social and Farm Forestry Program, which helps rural wasteland owners to convert their land into pulpwood plantations, has greened over 140,000 hectares, while creating livelihood opportunities for poor tribals and marginal farmers. The plantations have also sequestered over 4,380 KT of CO2 and played a major role in maintaining ITC’s carbon positive status over the past seven years.
“ITC’s business-linked sustainability initiatives, together with its social investment programs, have had a transformational impact on rural India. ITC’s Livestock Development Program has provided animal husbandry services to over 800,000 milch animals, thereby providing additional income avenues for farmers. ITC’s Women’s Empowerment Program has created sustainable livelihoods for over 40,000 rural women, while ITC’s Primary Education Programme has benefitted over 300,000 children.”