Emaar India is committed to creating a positive impact through its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives. The company recently introduced a skill development program designed specifically for construction workers, aiming to educate and empower them by equipping them with practical skills and knowledge, with specific emphasis on safety protocols, first-aid procedures, and emergency planning.
TheCSRUniverse had an exclusive interview with Madhuri Mehta, CHRO, wherein she shared that with a people-first attitude, Emaar India actively involves its construction workers in developing and implementing social initiatives to create a collaborative and empowering environment that fosters employee leadership and development.
She also touches upon the organization’s plans to focus on green initiatives around the communities it serves and aims to implement tree plantation drives around these communities. She explains how Emaar India is set to make significant strides towards sustainable development and community empowerment in the near future.
Scroll down to read the full interview:
Q. Please elaborate on “Shram”, your latest skill development training initiative for construction workers.
A.“Shram” is an 80-hour skill development programme designed specifically for construction workers, aligning with Emaar India’s commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Excellence.
The program aims to equip our workforce with practical skills & knowledge, educating and empowering them. Shramemphasizessafety protocols, first-aid procedures, and emergency planning to ensure workers’ well-being.
The initiative uplifts blue-collar worker communities by providing essential vocational expertise, benefiting both individual workers and promoting a safer, more productive, and ethical construction environment across our projects at Gurgaon, Mohali, and Jaipur.
Q. How has Emaar India contributed to the skill development of those segments of society that are usually overlooked in terms of upskilling in the country?
A. Emaar India’s “Shram” program addresses the traditionally overlooked segment of construction workers by upskilling them throughon-site trainingin core areas like bar bending& steel fixing,masonry, shuttering, carpentry, and safety protocols.This initiative enhances workers’ employability by imparting vocational expertise indispensable for securing sustainable livelihoods within the construction industry and fosters a safe work environment. This training program will further provide digital & financial literacy, develop soft skills, and introduce them to safety, health, hygiene, and housekeeping.
The initiative is in congruence with Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat by 2047’, aimed at improving the quality of the talent pool in the country.By aligning with National Safety Week and emphasizing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) values, Emaar India focuses on social responsibility, highlighting the significance of empowering employees for sustainable development.
Q.What are the future plans and initiatives that Emaar India has in place to further promote skill upgradation for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) excellence?
A. Emaar India recognizes the importance of a skilled workforce in achieving long-term ESG excellence. Plans include specialized modules on sustainable construction practices, waste management, and energy efficiency. Leadership training will empower supervisors to champion ESG values, fostering collaboration and social responsibility. Additionally, health check-up camps and training sessions on hygiene and disease prevention against common diseases like dengue and malaria demonstrate Emaar India’scommitment to holistic development. Training on safety induction is imparted for newly deployed workers to make them aware of the project site hazards and precautionary measures to be taken. Training and sessions are organized on emergency procedures, welfare amenities available at the site&general safety rules, etc.
Regular trainingis imparted to the workers on resource conservation, pollution control & waste management for the protection and conservation of the environment. Training is imparted on working in various adverse climatic conditions like monsoon, heat, and cold weather with safety precautions to be kept in mind.
Q. Can you please tell us about the key challenges and learnings from your efforts toward building a more diverse workforce?
A. Building a diverse workforce has presented challenges, but Emaar India’s focus on employee investment has yielded positive results, including reduced attrition rates and improved employee satisfaction. Continuous efforts in communication, recognition &benefits with many learning initiatives contributeto organizational growth. Diversity and inclusion remain ongoing efforts, integral to Emaar India’s mission of representing and serving diverse communities.
Q. What are some of the major CSR projects that Emaar India has undertaken or supported in the past few years? Are there any specific achievements or success stories that you would like to share with us?
A. Emaar India demonstrates its commitment to social responsibility through various initiatives focused on worker well-being and community outreach. Besides the recently launched “Shram” programme, our initiatives prioritize worker wellbeing as an essential imperative. Worker safety, health,and overall well-being are of utmost importance to us, and we address these through our various CSR initiatives under the auspices of 'Ujaala', our employee CSR program with an aim, ‘to bring light into the lives of others’ and with a focus on giving back to the society. Under “Ujaala” many community activities have been undertaken, suchas organizing bonfires at old age homes, book donation drives, blood donation campaigns, tree plantation drives, stationery drives, and food donation drives.
Q. How does the organization’s understanding and reach amongst construction workers help you in designing and strengthening your social initiatives? How do you involve and empower them to take on a more active role in your projects?
A. At Emaar India, our social efforts are based on an understanding of our construction workers and their needs. Through a people-first attitude, workers are actively involved in developing and implementing social initiatives. Leadership training and a collaborative environment foster employee empowerment and contribute to the success of both social initiatives and construction projects by encouraging open communication and developing trust.
Emaar India has created a robust pre-employment check-up mechanism that is mapped with regular screening of all the workers on the site for general health, and to map their abilities for their overall physical & emotional well-being, creating a healthy working environment for their optimum performance.
A monthly safety motivational program is organized at the site to recognize the workers for good work done in safety. Various safety campaigns like National Safety Week, Road Safety Week, Fire Service Day, and World Environment Day are celebrated at project sites.
Q. What are your future CSR plans, and how will Emaar India leverage its experience and success to expand its social initiatives even further?
A. Shram will be the flagship and perpetual CSR initiative that Emaar India will be focusing on and implementing across all the projects. Emaar India envisions Sharm as a pivotal stride towards enhancing the construction industry’s safety standards and worker welfare, a key imperative today. We will also focus on green initiatives around our communities and within its ambit, focus on implementing tree plantation drives around our communities.
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