World Environment Day, observed on June 5th each year, serves as a powerful reminder of our collective responsibility to protect and preserve the planet. This significant day provides an opportune moment to highlight the commendable efforts of individuals and organizations dedicated to addressing environmental challenges. In this blog, we will explore how SABERA awardees in the ESG domain have been working tirelessly to make a positive impact on the environment.
The E in ESG: ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance, with each aspect representing a critical pillar of sustainable development. The “E” in ESG focuses on environmental issues, emphasizing initiatives that mitigate climate change and promote environmental stewardship. The SABERA Awards recognize and honor organizations and individuals that have excelled in this domain.
Recognizing ESG Champions: SABERA’s independent and transparent award process, overseen by a diverse jury board representing various industries, ensures the recognition of exemplary efforts. The award categories encompass for-profit businesses, social enterprises, and non-profits, all united by their commitment to making a substantial positive impact on the environment.
Innovative Strategies for Environmental Sustainability: The SABERA awardees have demonstrated exceptional creativity and dedication in their pursuit of environmental sustainability. Their unique strategies have paved the way for successful prototypes that can be replicated and executed ethically and transparently across different regions. These champions have embraced conscious decision-making to address climate change and other environmental challenges, leaving a lasting impact on the planet.
Creating Positive Change: The SABERA awardees’ initiatives span a wide range of areas, including renewable energy adoption, waste management, reforestation, sustainable agriculture, and more. By leveraging their expertise, resources, and passion, these organizations and individuals have brought about tangible and meaningful change. Whether it’s implementing eco-friendly practices within their own operations or driving awareness and action on a larger scale, their contributions are invaluable.
Collaboration and Community Engagement: One key aspect of the ESG approach is community engagement and social impact. SABERA awardees understand the importance of involving local communities in their environmental initiatives. By actively collaborating with stakeholders, they have not only fostered a sense of ownership but also empowered individuals to take charge of their environment. This community-driven approach ensures sustainability in the long run.
Inspiring Replicability: Perhaps one of the most remarkable aspects of SABERA awardees’ work is their ability to create replicable models. By developing successful prototypes, they inspire and empower others to follow suit. Their actions pave the way for a more sustainable future, as their strategies and best practices are adopted by organizations across the country and beyond.
For-Profit Business
Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) 2021 winner as a Responsible Business has undertaken Project Land & Water Management benefitting close to 800 farmers over 800 Acres of land amidst other initiatives.
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. As a responsible business, BPCL has invested in various innovative models for improving process efficiency thereby reducing environmental impact, and increasing the shift towards sustainable product offerings. It has been acknowledged consistently for its efforts over the last 5 years (2018-2022) They are also the first ‘Near-Zero Waste to Land Fill’ refinery in India, disposing of more than 95% of its waste in a responsible manner.
Biocon Ltd. 2018 winner forHebbagodi Lake Rejuvenation Is a project to deal with the ongoing man-made crisis and prevent further abuse and neglect of the natural water body in Bangalore. They continue to restore the land under the thick sludge of garbage and intertwined weed.
Birlasoft Pvt. Ltd‘s SHODHAN addresses the critical issue of air pollution caused by crop burning in Punjab leading to extremely poor AQI (Air Quality Index) in neighboring states including Delhi. They too have been acknowledged consistently for their efforts over 3 years (2018-2020). They aim to create a sustainable community-driven model and collaborate with the stakeholder efforts for a developmental change in the ecosystem.
Dabur India Limited – Project Herbal Kingdom 2021 & 2022 winner aims to preserve ecosystems, halting the accelerated loss of biodiversity by protecting rare medicinal herbs from extinction. Today 8975 farmers are covered under the Biodiversity initiatives in India with 5247 acres of land under cultivation of herbs and medicinal plants. Also, a winner in 2022 as a Responsible Business Dabur is the first and probably the only plastic-neutral company, in India.
Ecohoy 2021 winner strives to make environmentalism more participatory, efficient & effective. They provide an online marketplace for all things green, by discovering sustainable alternatives for all daily use products, and providing sustainable office supplies as against conventional products.
E-Waste Social Private Limited is a social enterprise winner of 2021. They provide a SAAS-based offering that helps companies on retaining, refurbishing, and recycle strategies for electronic assets by providing actionable insights
Good Earth Eco Futures Private Limited winner 2022 as a Responsible Business Good Earth was recognized for its agroecological farming, water management, design, and development of communities.
Hindustan Unilever winner in 2020 believes in Doing Well by Doing Good. HUL believes that if the communities prosper so will the business. Amidst other efforts, they have concertedly reduced CO2 emissions, water usage, and waste generated from factories. In 2022 they were acknowledged again for the Suvidha Centres. An all-purpose-built sustainable and first-of-its-kind community hygiene center that addresses the sanitation, hygiene, drinking water, and laundry needs of low-income urban households. Suvidha has proven to be a pathbreaking innovation solving complex sanitation challenges under one roof
Kamalnayan Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation winner in 2020 & 2021 has intervened through various environment-friendly development initiatives in the Wardha district of Maharashtra rejuvenating multiple rivers & streams and raising the water table across the villages. They also work towards Mitigating climate change by Promoting Biomass gas for climate justice and introducing ways to make the use of biogas affordable and efficient to the rural population.
Maruti Suzuki India Limited Winner in 2021 has set up 28 water ATMs, constructed close to 4.5K household toilets, 57 kilometers of sewer line, 60 kilometers of village roads, and a Solid Waste Management plant capable of processing 5 tons of solid wastes every day besides other outreach initiatives.
PepsiCo India – Sustainable Inclusive Farming winner 2022 Pepsico India was acknowledged for the Sustainable and Collaborative Farming Program in the potato value chain in West Bengal India. Empowering women farmers, amidst others, the training programs focus on the best irrigation and crop rotation techniques.
Recykal Marketplace winner of 2020 is an online platform that has worked with various stakeholders across the waste value chain, digitizing their transactions and channelizing waste thereby minimizing the environmental impact by Saving Energy, Oil, diverting e-waste from landfill space and avoiding air pollutants, saving water, Trees, and improving living conditions and household income in the informal sector of scrap dealings.
SBI General Insurance Limited winner of 2021 amidst promoting other sustainable initiatives is helping 250 marginal farmers across 10 villages, to adapt to climate change through sustainable agriculture practices and livelihood enhancement.
S M Sehgal Foundation Winner of 2021 works for rural development to strengthen community-led development initiatives in order to achieve positive environmental change among others. They work in areas of Water Management, Agriculture development, and sustainability.
Stonesoup.in a social enterprise winner of 2019 works to create sustainable alternative solutions for minimizing & effective disposal of trash. From manufacturing composters, menstrual cups, and cloth pads to creating awareness about the same through self-help groups in and around Bangalore.
Swades Foundation – Rural Empowerment winner 2020, 2021 & 2022 aims to create dream villages in Maharashtra modeled around the successful prototypes created through 8 blocks in the district of Raigad & Nashik, Focusing on Water & Sanitation amidst other sustainable development initiatives.
The Tata Power Company Limited – Women Microenterprise winner in 2020 works through Club Enerji their nationwide resource and energy conservation initiative has not only sensitized but saved millions of units of energy across seven cities – New Delhi Mumbai Pune Ahmedabad Bengaluru Kolkata and Ajmer. Their intent is to be carbon neutral by 2050 through renewables and energy-efficient solutions and has also committed to no investment in fossil-fuel-based generation phasing out of thermal capacity as the units reach end-of-life. Rooftop solar projects have been rolled out to 100 cities empowering customers to generate their own power and at the same time earn savings.
Non-Profits
FXB India Suraksha 2018 winner for their Agriculture Resource Centers implementing an all-encompassing rural development of villages in Assam and Meghalaya. This involves practicing improved farming and sharing their collective learning & experience.
ndian Society of Agri-Business Professionals winner of 2018 works for the empowerment of rural India through sustainable farms. It’s one of the largest networks of agriculture and allied sector professionals in India acting as a bridge between a network of Indian rural communities and other stakeholders across 17 states.
International Institute for Energy Conservation 2018 winner for Solar Powered Public Health Centers in Uttarakhand adopted a holistic community development approach for improved health services through green energy solutions for socio-economic development in selected villages in Uttarakhand.
Jyoti Bahuudesiya Sevabhavi Sanstha – Lahu Gaikwad is a winner of 2021. This grassroots organization works in the interior regions of Marathwada. Desilting of Lakes and rejuvenation of handpumps are some of the initiatives it undertakes.
Keshav Sita Memorial Foundation Trust 2019 winner is addressing the critical issue of Plastic waste in Pune. Collecting and recycling plastic waste at the source to contribute to the Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojna for constructing roads.
Raah Foundation – Tribal Microbusiness 2018 & 2019 winner addresses the critical issues of water scarcity leading to poor agricultural yield and employment in the tribal community of Maharashtra. They aim to Revive the rural economy such that the Tribal population stops migrating and in the process help preserves the indigenous tribal cultural heritage.
Sustainable Advancements (OPC) Private Limited 2021 winner amidst other outreach also has a project Earth Restore’ creating an urban forest with the Potential to sequester over 200 tonnes of carbon.
TIEEDI – Zero Waste Andolan 2021 & 2022 winner has been working on permaculture-based solutions for various environmental issues. It is actively involved in sustainable and responsible tourism, environmental education, decentralized waste management solutions, and zero-waste products.
UDYAMA – Sustainable Agriculture & Gravity Flow Irrigation winner in 2021 & 2022 is an Orissa-based organisation, focused on initiatives promoting sustainable livelihoods, sustainable agriculture, micro water conservation, promoting agroforestry, and a Circular-Economy to minimize Plastic & Micro-plastic-pollution
This article is part of the series that is highlighting the SABERA TROPHY awardees in various categories working arduously in the ESG domain. They have been selected by a robust and transparent 2 tier process by senior leaders representing a cross-section of industries constituting the Jury Board each year from 2018 to 22. सबेरा SABERA is not tied to any one majority interest or funder, which allows it to set a truly independent Awards process. The majority of the funding comes from entry fees and sponsorship.
The listing is in alphabetical order under the two subheadings listing the For-profit Businesses including social enterprises and non-profits.
*The above listing includes winners from 2018 to 2022 in Sub Category Environment, Other subcategories under A & B may also feature in the SOCIAL or GOVERNANCE listing based on the work they’ve executed.
All SABERA TROPHY winners from 2018 to 2022 can be accessed here along with their work
To submit your ESG-aligned work for SABERA 2023 jury to evaluate, Register here.
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