Education
"We believe that by investing in education, we will ensure a better
quality of life not only for now but for generations to come."
--Mr. Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Mahindra Group
The Mahindra Group has chosen education as the main tool to transform the lives
of the people of India. The Group views education as both an investment and an
enabler. The K.C. Mahindra Education Trust (KCMET) was formed in 1953 with the
objective of promoting education and has since undertaken a number of
initiatives, which make a difference in the lives of deserving students. KCMET
has provided more than Rs. 25 crores in the form of grants, scholarships and
loans. These funds are derived from an investment portfolio, the main donors of
which are the Mahindra Group of companies.
K. C. Mahindra Education Trust
Established
by the late Mr. K. C. Mahindra in 1953, the K. C. Mahindra Education Trust aims
to ‘Transform the lives of people in India through education, by
providing financial assistance and recognition to them, across age groups and
across income strata'. It was registered as a Public Charitable Trust under the
Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950.
The K.C.
Mahindra Education Trust has undertaken a number of education initiatives to
make a difference to the lives of deserving students. The Trust promotes
education mainly by way of scholarships. It has provided more than Rs. 13.80
crores (approximately US $ 3.0 million) in the form of grants, scholarships and
loans. Some of these scholarships were instituted as far back as the 1950’s,
while others were founded recently. These are funded through an investment
portfolio, the main donors of which are the Mahindra Group of companies.
Nanhi Kali
Programme
Government
of India statistics reveal that out of every ten girls who register
in school in India, only three complete Standard X. The Nanhi Kali
project, launched in 1996 by the K. C. Mahindra Education Trust, aims to change
this by providing quality education to the disadvantaged girl child. This
national girl child sponsorship programme ensures that every girl child
completes her ten years of formal school education in an environment that would
help her to realise her potential to the fullest. Also, various corporates and
individuals can join the Nanhi Kali project by becoming guardian angels to
these disadvantaged girls.
What is most
encouraging is that it takes only Rs. 5/- per day to take care of the girl
child’s education and provide her with a life of dignity. The project addresses
attitudes and issues towards girl children by sensitising the teachers, family
members and community on the importance of providing the child with a good
education. Sponsors of Nanhi Kali are provided with a profile of the child
(including her photograph), along with periodic progress reports so that her
academic progress can be tracked.
The
Nanhi Kali
project is currently looking after the education of 30,000 girl children and
intends to reach out to many more in a phased manner.
Mahindra Education Society
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility
activities, the Mahindra Group has established schools near its factories
primarily for children of its employees. At present, the Group has three
schools that impart high standards of education
- Mahindra Academy at Malad in
Mumbai,Mahindra Academy in Zaheerabad and a school in Khopoli.The
establishment of these schools has not just benefited their employees but also
the community around these schools. Teachers at these schools are qualified and
undergo regular training as well as attend relevant workshops. Their teaching
methodologies are constantly evaluated and modified when necessary.
Mahindra Pride School
As part of the 60th year celebrations, through the K.
C. Mahindra Education Trust, the Company has committed to setting up two
Mahindra Pride Schools. The Schools aim to empower the youth from socially
disadvantaged sections of society by extending livelihood training which will
enable them to gain employment based on the skills learned at these Schools.
Mahindra United World College
In 1997, by
the late Harish Mahindra the Mahindra United World College of India was founded
to promote world- class education with an emphasis on the ideals of peace and
understanding, central to the culture of the United World Colleges. There are
10 United World Colleges spread across the globe, with colleges situated
in UK, USA Singapore, Canada, Swaziland, Italy, Venezuela, India, Norway and Hong
Kong.
Located 40
kms. west of Pune, the Mahindra United World College of India brings together
students of various nationalities for a pre-university degree. The school is
global not only because of the International degree, but also because of the
true international culture in which the students study, live and learn. Each
year’s batch of about 100 students accommodates about 65 to 70 from abroad.
Supporting Government Schools
Continuing
its commitment to make quality education accessible to all children, the
Mahindra Group has continued support to 6 Government Schools in Mumbai (5
Schools at Kandivli and 1 in Worli). Naandi Foundation, the implementation
partner for the School Adoption Programme, has through its Ensuring Children
Learn strategy, been running Gyan Jyothi Centres – or academic support classes
to ensure that children coming to BMC Schools acquire grade specific learning
competencies.
Mahindra All India Talent Scholarships
(MAITS)
498 students
from 11 Centres all over India were awarded the MAITS in the last
financial year to enable them to pursue a job oriented diploma course at a
recognised Government Polytechnic in India. These students have been
provided with this scholarship for a 3 year period. A majority of the
scholarship awardees are girls, as the Trust is keen to empower girls through
vocational education.
Health & Disaster Relief
Along with education and the
environment, health is one of the prime focus areas for the Mahindra Group's
CSR efforts. The Mahindra Foundation has helped patients from socially weaker
and economically disadvantaged sections of society suffering from various
diseases ranging from cancer to heart ailments as well as burn victims. It has
also been very active during national calamities and disasters and has helped
contribute and mobilize resources from civil society. The Foundation has also
extended its support to academia and other professionals and sportsmen.
Mahindra Foundation
The Mahindra
Foundation has been set up with a specific objective of providing medical
relief to the poor and needy sections of society. The foundation has helped
patients suffering from cancer, heart ailments as well as burn victims. It has
also been very active during national calamities and disasters and has helped
contribute and mobilise resources. The foundation also extends its support to
academia and other professionals and sportsmen by helping them attend workshops
and conferences overseas.
The Mahindra
Group has always been very responsive to any major disaster in India.
Whether it's been the tsunami or the Gujarat earthquake, the Mahindra
family has got together and always provided support either by way of financial
help or by way of sending vehicles, supplying material or manpower.
Mid Day Meal Kitchen
Mahindra
and Mahindra Ltd. entered into a tri-partite public private partnership in
December 2006, with the Government of Rajasthan and Naandi Foundation for
setting up of a centralized Mid Day Meals Kitchen at Govindgarh Block, Jaipur
District, in the state of Rajasthan. This kitchen will provide hygienic,
nutritious and wholesome mid day meals to approximately 25000--35000 children
studying in class 1--4 from 314 government schools in Govindgarh Block, Jaipur
District. This unique tri-partite initiative aims to "help fight hunger in
schools"--through high quality, hygienically prepared mid day meals served
to thousands of underprivileged school going children making schooling and
learning a complete experience. The kitchen commenced operations at the
beginning of September 08.
Gifting Cochlear Implants
As
part of its 60th Anniversary CSR initiative, the Mahindra Group pledged to
sponsor the treatment and recovery cum rehabilitation of 60 profoundly hearing-impaired,
underprivileged children through the Cochlear Implant programme. This
initiative was undertaken at a cost of Rs. 3 crore and is titled, '60 Symbols
of Mahindra's Commitment to India's Future.'
Dr. Milind Kirtane, India's leading ENT surgeon and Dr. B.C. Roy Award winner,
is spearheading this initiative. Recipients are being selected in consultation
with Dr. Kirtane and his team of doctors, audiologists, teachers of the deaf
and social counselors. 50 children have already been gifted the power of sound
through cochlear implants donated by the Mahindra Group, at a cost of Rs. 5
lakh each.
Lifeline Express
The
Lifeline Express is the world's first hospital on rails and provides free
medical and surgical treatment to people suffering from four disablements:
polio, cataract, deafness and cleft (crack) lip. The Lifeline Express
hospital-on-wheels chugged on to Rudrapur in October 2007 and treated 647
physically challenged persons absolutely free of cost. Voluntary participation
by expert surgeons, doctors, technicians, NSS students, and partnership with
the district health and administration authorities was commendable. Most
importantly, this project took Esops to another level altogether. The entire
FES, Rudrapur Plant -everyone from the Plant head himself to the Managers &
GET's--owned this project like it was their own baby.
Environmental Initiatives
Mahindra & Mahindra is also an environmentally
conscious organization and is committed to help maintain the ecological
balance. On October 2, 2007, M&M's Founder's day, the company launched
Mahindra Hariyali, a special campaign which aims to add one million trees to
India's green cover by October 2008. The campaign has received a tremendous
response from employees, with sapling plantation drives undertaken almost every
day by ESOPs volunteers across the country.
Through the Esops platform, employees are not only planting trees within
company premises but are taking the greenery beyond--be it villages situated
around plants & resorts or be it school compounds or around customers
homes. With strong and meaningful partnerships with various stakeholders in the
Civil Society such as schools, colleges, trusts, and also the Government
(Forest Departments etc), the Mahindra Hariyali model ensures plantation and
nurturing of these trees.
In addition, on a continuous basis, Esops volunteers take up local
environmental initiatives at various plants and area offices. Thus employees
work at the grassroots and undertake various initiatives in environment such as:
Energy Conservation Awareness Drives at various platforms, Rain water
harvesting, Global Warming Awareness Drives in schools, Zero Garbage Zone
creation drives and Waste Management workshops. In 2007, Mahindra set up a
Sustainability Council which will not only work towards reducing the ecological
footprint of the Group but will also help align the organization's business
with environmental concerns.
Employee Social Options (ESOPS)
On
its 60th Founders' Day, M&M also announced its own unique ESOPS-
Employee
Social Options (ESOPS) the unique programme where each employee can exercise
his own social responsibility by volunteering in CSR initiatives received great
support, with 14,535 employees volunteering for various initiatives with ESOPS
expanding to 6 new States namely Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Tamil Nadu.
Art
The
Arts has been an area of special focus of M&M's social responsibility
thrust. Mahindra has instituted the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards
(META) which is India's first dedicated theatre awards instituted by a
Corporate. META aspires to harness and develop talent in theatre across the
country.
Sport
The Mahindra United (MU) team is the new symbol of footballing supremacy in the
country. The team won its maiden IFA shield in Kolkata recently, which is the
first win for a Mumbai club in the tournament's 112-year history. MU is the
only Indian club to be named in the International Federation of Football
History & Statistics, Germany, global rankings. It is also the proud winner
of the National Football League & Federation Cup in 2006. MU is the only
team in Maharashtra to win the Durand Cup twice, the second oldest trophy in
the world. It is also the first team in Maharashtra to win the Harwood League
and the Nadkarni Cup three times in a row. Since its inception, the MU team has
grown into a formidable side, leading rival teams to 'dread the men in red'.
Mahindra Group to Spend Rs 150 Cr on CSR
This year, Mahindra Group is set to
spend over Rs 150 crore on CSR initiatives, compared with Rs 42 crore last
year. As per the media report Mahindra Group is set to bring its corporate
social responsibility, sustainability and corporate governance initiatives
under a new branding umbrella ‘Rise for Good’ that it is set to unveil on
Thursday, on the occasion of its 70th founder’s day.
Mahindra to bring it’s CSR activities under
single umbrella branding
It has reported that the Mahindra
Group is set to bring its corporate social responsibility, sustainability and
corporate governance initiatives under a new branding umbrella ‘Rise for Good’
that it is set to unveil on the occasion of its 70th founder’s day.
“The real reason to bring these
initiatives under one umbrella is to give them more strength and to give a
further impetus, momentum and synergy to the movement for employees to be more
involved,” Rajeev Dubey, president, group HR, corporate services and
aftermarket sector at Mahindra & Mahindra, told in an interaction.
“The aim of creating one branding umbrella is
to both motivate people internally and bind them around what we do for society
as well as excite people from outside to join in,” said SP Shukla, president,
group strategy, member, group executive board and chairman, innovation academy,
at M&M.
The group’s CSR and sustainability
initiatives focus on four broad areas — education (with a focus on education of
the girl child), health, environment and disaster relief.
--Mr.
Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Mahindra Group
Awards
2007-08
Businessworld-FICCI-SEDF
Corporate Social Responsibility Award
Pegasus
Corporate Social Responsibility Gold Award for the Mahindra Lifeline Express
and the Nanhi Kali programme
BSE Business
for Social Responsibility Award for Best Corporate Social Responsibility Practice
Auto Monitor
CSR Award for Mahindra Lifeline Express
On January 18, Mahindra and Mahindra won
the BSE award for Best Corporate Social Responsibility Practice at the Social
and Corporate Governance Awards (Innovative strategies - Measurable Impacts),
presented by BSE and NASSCOM Foundation. The Award ceremony was the culmination
of the Business for Social Responsibility Contest organized by BSE and NASSCOM
Foundation in which Mahindra and Mahindra Limited was short listed along with 28
other Corporates for the category Best Corporate Social Responsibility
Practice.
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