The kindness of the human heart is still doing wonders and breaking barriers in our country and around the world during these tough times. Yes, these tough times are taking a big toll on all of us in every aspect. But let us encourage and support each other, and more so, the ones who are going out of their way – whether in small or big measures – to bring about a sense of hope to those needing it the most. Let us focus on the various attributes being meted. Read on…
DFPCL
Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Limited (DFPCL), one of India’s leading producers of Industrial Chemicals and Fertilisers, and its operating agency for CSR – Ishanya Foundation, have continued to empower the frontline Corona Warriors, who are leading the nation’s fight against COVID-19. The Company has donated 2,500 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits for use by the healthcare employees to the Government of Maharashtra, as well as four ambulances to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and more than 1,000 litres of Iso Propyl Alcohol (IPA)-based hand sanitisers to Chief Minister’s Office and other government agencies. DFPCL employees also came forward to make a voluntary contribution of INR 38.70 Lakhs to Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. It has also supplied essential raw materials to the Army in and around Pune Garrison during the pandemic to prepare hand sanitiser for which it received accolades from the Commandant.
The flagging off ceremony was held on June 14, 2020. It was attended by Shri Uddhav Thackeray – Hon. Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri. Aaditya Thackeray – Minister of Tourism and Environment, Shri Eknath Shinde – Minister of Urban Development and Public Works, Shri Sachin Ahir and Smt. Kishori Pednekar – Mayor of Mumbai, who acknowledged the contributions and thanked the DFPCL representatives, Vijay Joshi and Jayshree Katkar.
Speaking on the initiative, Sailesh C Mehta, Chairman & Managing Director, DFPCL, said, “As a company, we have always believed that we can overcome any odd through collective efforts. While the nameless and faceless heroes are putting their lives on the line to ensure the nation overcomes this global pandemic, we consider it an honour to contribute to the cause – both in terms of our efforts and resources to strengthen the resolve. We will continue to contribute to the best of our abilities towards overcoming the crisis – be it in terms of offering solutions or spreading awareness on the issue.”
Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, DFPCL has been relentlessly contributing towards nation’s fight against this calamity. Being a producer of essential commodities (IPA and Fertilisers), the Company’s units are in operation as per the directive of the government despite the challenges of lockdown to cater to the country’s needs in these times of distress. It has also donated essential items such as food grains to the migrant labour, hand sanitisers, face masks and other resources to the frontline COVID warriors comprising of the medical fraternity, police and local communities. Around 4,000 face masks have been donated so far. Ishanya Foundation’s Mobile Clinic has been constantly on the move to support cases that need medical attention across 40 villages in Taloja, Raigad District. The Mobile Clinic has treated 9,058 patients since it commenced operations in October 2019, and 3,073 patients during the lockdown period as on date.
Fujifilm India
Fujifilm India Private Limited, a pioneer in imaging technologies, has pledged its commitment and contribution towards aid for the unprecedented crisis caused due to the pandemic outbreak.
The Company has announced the supply of 800 essential commodity kits to protect mothers and girl children under IRIA Raksha project during this COVID-19 emergency period. The kits consist of washable face mask, hand washing soap, a small pack of sanitary napkins, and Iron supplements like Folvite Tab. Aimed to support and rescue the women who are deprived of basic necessities, Fujifilm is providing these essential commodity kits to add basic comfort in their lives during these unprecedented times.
Commenting on this, Haruto Iwata, Managing Director, Fujifilm India Pvt. Ltd. said, “While the world continues to live under the cloud of uncertainties because of the COVID-19 outbreak, its impact on everyone’s life is unimaginable. Staying true to our commitment to support the underprivileged females of the society, we are happy to play a role in IRIA’s RAKSHA initiative. Today, these girls face a major challenge as the schools have shut down across the country due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This has disrupted the structured learning process across India and can lead to higher dropout rates especially for girls. Being a brand that has taken several steps for the well-being of girls, we have supercharged our mission with ‘IRIA’ to enable uninterrupted education, promote menstrual hygiene and organise awareness campaigns among the underprivileged females. At a time where it is most crucial for every individual to maintain sanitation and personal hygiene, we are pleased to support organisations like IRIA in the endeavour of girls’ health and safety.”
“Despite national efforts on women empowerment, education and sanitation, females still lack appropriate facilities and community support to manage their studies and menstrual cycle amidst the various mal-practices they are subjected to. Our project Raksha is in line with our mission to spread awareness and support women empowerment to the remote corners of our country. Coinciding with our plan to provide a platform where the members can help in the current social issues cantered on the girl child, we are providing essential supplies to the disadvantaged females of Guwahati. During these unprecedented times, it is imperative for us to take action and we’re glad to be associated with a brand like Fujifilm who has been of immense support in strengthening our mission,” Dr Sangeeta Saxena, Chairperson, Raksha Committee, IRIA, added.
In addition, the Company is conducting educational workshops for underprivileged girls to raise awareness around the importance of self-examination among individuals. With the rise in the spread of breast cancer, self-examination has become an important screening tool for women to reduce their chances of being affected.
ZEE Entertainment
Media and Entertainment Powerhouse ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEE) announced a national level CSR drive towards enhancing the country’s healthcare infrastructure, further strengthening its fight against COVID-19. The company will support State governments and local governing bodies with critical interventions across 10 cities, viz., Mumbai, Noida, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi and Chennai.
The company will provide the following:
- 200+ ambulances to be donated to municipal corporations (46 ambulances have already been donated to BMC).
- 50 High Flow Heated Respiratory Humidifiers to be donated BMC.
- 40,000+ PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) kits to be donated to municipal corporations across the nation.
- Portable ICUs – 100+ ICU units to be built with state-of-the-art tech support across the nation.
- 600,000 meals to be provided to 10,000 migrants for a month in partnership with Akshaya Patra Foundation.
With the support of Maharashtra State Government, the Company has flagged off the national-level CSR drive against COVID-19 in Mumbai, in the presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, Minister for Tourism, Environment and Protocol, Govt. of Maharashtra, Aaditya Uddhav Thackeray, and ZEE Entertainment MD and CEO, Punit Goenka, by donating 46 ambulances and 50 High Flow Heated Respiratory Humidifiers to BMC. This support will help build capacity and enhance the existing healthcare infrastructure in Mumbai.
The company will approach and work with all State governments and local governing bodies across the nation to formulate an action plan that is structured on fulfilling the immediate requirements to fight the pandemic.
Speaking on this announcement, Punit Goenka, MD and CEO, ZEE, said, “The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in India have been far-reaching and calamitous for vulnerable communities. It is important that we stand up during such times and step up our efforts as responsible members of society. ZEE is committed to continuing its strong support towards the government, with a key focus on strengthening the overall healthcare infrastructure to save our nation from this pandemic. We are also significantly increasing our efforts on-ground to provide relief to migrants across the country. We will continue to do our best to serve the nation in these challenging times.”
Aaditya Uddhav Thackeray, Minister for Tourism, Environment and Protocol, Govt. of Maharashtra said, “The scale of this pandemic is enormous, and the Government of Maharashtra is working round the clock to enhance the modular medical facilities and support our frontline workers. Every step ahead is a successful step towards beating the current humanitarian crisis. We would like to thank Mr Punit Goenka and ZEE for their support in this time of need towards COVID-19 response and relief.”
Iqbal Singh Chahal, Commissioner, BMC added, “We are dealing with challenging times where being ahead of the virus is key to fighting the war against COVID-19.We have implemented several path-breaking innovative measures across the city to curb the increase in a number of cases and are ramping up our medical facilities. We are glad to receive this support from ZEE that will further strengthen our efforts while also ensuring the well-being of the citizens. It is humbling to see organisations such as ZEE coming forward and fighting this crisis together with us.”
Earlier, ZEE had announced financial support to over 5000 daily wage earners working directly or indirectly with the company. It had also encouraged all its 3400+ employees to contribute towards the PM-CARES Fund. The amount generated was matched by ZEE, and the collective proceeds were routed to the PM-CARES Fund.
As a responsible media and entertainment player, ZEE continues to take strong steps needed in further intensifying its fight against COVID-19.
Quaker India
Quaker Oats will provide over one lakh meals to doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals working tirelessly in COVID-19 speciality hospitals across New Delhi. The meals will be provided by installing Quaker Oats vending machines in leading government hospitals. The special initiative is supported by Smile Foundation and was flagged off by Dr Randeep Gulleria, Director, AIIMS along with Abhishek Singh, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, New Delhi.
The Quaker machines are being installed at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, as well as at Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). As a result of increased work-pressure due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers have often found themselves working long hours. Through these vending machines, the brand aims to equip the frontline warriors with easy access to Quaker Oats on the go.
Talking about the initiative, Abhishek Singh, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, New Delhi, said, “The effort put in by doctors and paramedic staff in these times of pandemic is unparalleled. Contribution to salute the spirit of these brave corona warriors is deeply appreciated.”
Santanu Mishra, Co-founder and Trustee, Smile Foundation, said, “It is our absolute privilege to support PepsiCo India in this unique initiative for the doctors and other healthcare staff who are working tirelessly to save lives across the globe. Smile Foundation through various campaigns is supporting not just the underserved communities but also render all support to all corona warriors – including doctors, paramedics, policemen, etc., in the combined fight against COVID-19. We have to win this fight together.”
Dilen Gandhi, Sr Director and Category Head – Foods, PepsiCo India, said, “Over the last few months, doctors, nurses and other medical professionals have showcased deep compassion and heroic courage in the ongoing fight against the coronavirus. We believe that brands and organizations can also play a pivotal role in supporting the nation by going the extra mile in these unprecedented times. We, at PepsiCo India, express our deepest gratitude to these ‘Real Fit Heroes’ and salute them for their selfless spirit and unwavering dedication.”
Les Roches and RAHI
Les Roches, a world leader in hospitality education has joined hands with RAHI (Rise Against Hunger India), a leading NGO that is working towards hunger eradication, with currently an increased focus on providing meals to COVID-19 impacted communities, to provide 35,000 meals to the migrant groups of Mumbai that are suffering due to the outbreak of the pandemic.
Les Roches has always worked towards creating the future of hospitality in India. They have not only donated through their alumni in the past but have also provided scholarships to merited Indian students and helped them in building their future. It has programmes that span campuses around the globe and offers unique opportunities for entrepreneurial personalities to develop.
On its donation, Adrian Artimov, Director Enrolment and Marketing, Les Roches said: “We are extremely gratuitous towards RAHI for allowing us to partner with them in this noble initiative of giving back to the people in need in these unprecedented times. Les Roches’ relationship with India goes beyond hospitality and we felt now is the correct time to support the nation that has provided us with some of the greatest alumni in the past and continues to support us till today.”
Dola Mohapatra, Executive Director, Rise Against Hunger India said “We thank Les Roches for supporting us in providing 35,000 meals to the migrant groups in Mumbai, who have been majorly impacted by COVID-19. We hope that more private institutions such as Les Roches would come forward and help eliminate hunger in these migrant groups and work with us in this noble cause.”
By far, RAHI has distributed 1.86 million meals to 400,000 people in 35 districts of eight States.
DanaMojo
Danamojo, India’s first payment solutions platform exclusively for NGOs, has intensified efforts to support the most vulnerable communities across the country. The organisation has curated a list of around 50 NGOs on its platform engaging in critical relief work to help ease the burden of those affected by the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
With citizens searching for credible NGOs to make meaningful contributions, DanaMojo aims to provide a superlative experience to the donors through a convenient and efficient mechanism on its platform. NGOs on the platform are broadly divided into two criteria: the nature of relief work being done or the beneficiary they are supporting. Their support extends to the vulnerable and affected communities such as guest workers, women suffering from domestic abuse, children who need counselling, the elderly, animals, the transgenders, those who need HIV medication etc. This is done by providing them with food and sanitation kits, hot meals, direct money transfer, COVID-19 treatment support, and personal protection equipment.
Speaking about the initiative, DanaMojo CEO, Dhaval Udani said, “Over the last couple of months, there has been a huge surge in the number of people seeking support and consequently, the need for funds has also become ever so critical. We believe that there are countless citizens out there looking to make meaningful contributions towards those in need. At DanaMojo, we aim to provide these citizens with a comprehensive and trustworthy platform where their money is directed to the intended entity for the relevant cause. We have curated a list of close to 50 NGOs that are firstly, legally compliant and are either working at the national or regional level to provide relief to those affected by the virus. Additionally, an HNI donor has come forward to top up all the donations with a matching donation of ten per cent for the first 25 lakh rupees.”
A few prominent NGOs on DanaMojo’s platform include Goonj, Save the Children India, Ratna Nidhi Trust, Apnalaya, Tarun Bharat Sangh, Kolkata Gives etc. Its platform provides an exhaustive range of payment options, a gateway for international donors, automated 80G receipts and is fully compliant with all the legal requirements. Since June 2016, the organisation has successfully worked with over 800 NGOs in the past.
ACT Fibernet
As an ISP, ACT Fibernet has provided a means for people at large to stay connected, receive constant access to information and enable work to take place seamlessly, amidst the crisis. The company took various activities towards helping combat the effect of COVID-19.
Extended its line of service by providing high-speed connectivity and broadband services across hospitals to serve in their COVID wards.
Supported the Karnataka government in its endeavour towards combatting the pandemic through the donation of one lakh masks for BBMP workers.
Serving sanitised and hygienic meals to 10,000 labourers and workers in Hyderabad daily, in addition to distributing 25,000 free meals across 19 cities that it operates in.
Set up the provision of free WiFi and TV facility at the migrant workers’ camps in RT Nagar, Bangalore as well as distributed 500 staple grocery kits to underprivileged individuals in Malleshwaram, Bangalore.
Distributed 500kg of rice in Chennai to facilitate meals for 7000 people.
CNH Industrial (India)
CNH Industrial (India), a leader in agriculture and construction equipment, continues to ramp up its CSR activities in India in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by donating one lakh surgical masks and 50,000 100 ml bottles of hand sanitiser, reconfirming its commitment to supporting those in need. These items have been donated to the district administration of Greater Noida, Pune and Pithampur (MP), Gurugram and South Delhi Municipal Corporation. By distributing to these government entities, the correct distribution of the materials is ensured to hospitals and front line health workers based on priority.
Speaking about the various initiatives Tarun Khanna, Chief Marketing Officer, CNH Industrial India, said, “Apart from being a close ally to the farming and construction community by presenting schemes that aim to ease their financial burden through our dealer network, we have scaled up our CSR activities in these difficult times to our extended stakeholder community which has been impacted relatively hard from the situation.”
Elaborating on the need for proactive action during the present times, he said, “In view of the COVID-19 pandemic causing widespread health hazards and loss of life, we consider the donation of hand sanitizers and surgical masks as our humble service to the community. Moreover, it is a part of our CSR activities to support the healthcare capacities of hospitals as well as frontline healthcare workers and first responders. The corona warriors especially need our support, encouragement and help so that they can continue their fight against this deadly virus in a steadfast manner.”
During the initial phase of the lockdown, the Company had introduced a ‘We Care For You!’ initiative which eased the financial difficulties of farmers and construction machines customers by extending equipment warranties.
CNH Industrial locally manufactures agricultural equipment through its New Holland Agriculture and Case IH brands at its industrial bases in Greater Noida and Pune. Furthermore, the Company manufactures construction equipment through its CASE Construction Equipment brand at its Pithampur (Indore) plant. CNH Industrial provides financial services through CNH Industrial Capital (India) Private Limited. All three plants have reopened following initial shutdowns and are operating according to the standard global protocols to protect the health and safety of employees.
Throughout the pandemic crisis, CNH Industrial has continued to support its global dealer network and to maintain aftermarket services. Today, the majority of CNH Industrial’s 67 global plants have reopened. To ensure the health and safety of its employees, the Company has established a global COVID-19 Safety Protocol throughout its plants and logistics centres, which encompasses 48 different measures and is in compliance with local regulations in all countries in which it operates.
The Company’s customer care centre is available in ten languages to support customers across the country and can be reached toll-free on 1800-419-0124.
American Express
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, American Express India has pledged INR Nine Crore towards the support of funds and organisations that are helping combat the COVID-19 outbreak. This includes the PM-CARES Fund and partnership with not-for-profit organisations in areas of mobilising essential supplies to the families, providing medical kits, feeding healthcare professionals as well as developing and providing protective gear to serve the most vulnerable sections of society,
Talking on the same, Manoj Adlakha, SVP and Country Manager, American Express Banking Corp, India said “We are facing an unprecedented crisis that has caused social, emotional, human and economic loss. While we are doing everything possible to keep our colleagues and their families safe, we are also constantly striving to make a positive contribution and meaningful connection with the communities in which we live and work. These grants will help provide protective equipment and feed people impacted, among other critical needs through various community welfare initiatives. In times like these, all we need is to come together to support the efforts of healthcare workers, NGOs and government organisations in this fight against COVID-19.”
For more than 170 years, American Express has been committed to backing colleagues, customers, partners and communities they serve around the world. INR Nine Crore has been committed in various forms of financial support to back the tireless work of those on the front lines of this global crisis. This includes contributions to the PM-CARES Fund as well as to local organisations in India. The grants will help provide protective equipment to frontline healthcare workers, support the development of vaccines and research and help feed people impacted in our communities, among other critical needs.
American Express India has also partnered for an initiative called, ‘Hunger Heroes’ that will help distribute dry ration and essential supplies to the families of 10,000 food delivery riders, severely impacted by the pandemic. It will focus on mobilising essential supplies to ride out the loss of income while staying available to resume jobs when the situation gets better. The proposed project would be implemented across India, with a specific focus in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities where e-commerce logistics and online food delivery services have been affected the most due to COVID-19 lockdown. All efforts have been complemented by partnering with NASSCOM Foundation for a donation of 11,150 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits including N-95 Masks to the Hospitals in the National Capital Region.
Another partnership with Samhita (“Collective Good Foundation”) is enabling us to procure PPE kits and other essentials for frontline healthcare and sanitation workers and isolation kits/beds for hospitals to support the health infrastructure in the National Capital Region, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune.
