Organisations across the world are realizing the value of integrating sustainable practices with their core business strategies. Sustainability is no longer a separate symbolic activity or drive. It has acquired a much broader meaning that includes the entire spectrum of economic, social and environmental aspects of how a business is being conducted. The shift, which was initially more visible in western economies, is already shaping businessesin India now.
Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt. Ltd (RNAIPL) is a joint venture company under the Renault Nissan Global Alliance. It manufactures cars for both Renault and Nissan for the Indian as well as export markets. Speaking to TheCSRUniverse, Mr.Keerthi Prakash, MD, RNAIPL discusses how they take the best from both worlds when it comes to their sustainability efforts. In this interview, we talk about their recent initiative of restoration of water bodies, the significance of working for and collaborating with communities, their goals towards carbon neutrality and efforts towards strengthening DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).
Q. RNAIPL recently committed Rs. 3.7 crore to revitalize 10 water bodies around its Kanchipuram manufacturing plant. What was the motivation behind this effort and how well is this project aligned to the overall CSR goals of the brand?
A. Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt Ltd (RNAIPL) is located in Oragadam and if you look at the geographical factors, this location is considered as highly water stressed. Hence it is imperative for us, as a company focused on minimizing our impact on the environment to prioritise water conservation efforts.
Even before we started investing in restoring community lakes, we took action within our own plant, which is spread over more than 600 acres, to conserve water. First, we have installed a comprehensive rainwater harvesting system within the plant that collects water runoff from the roofs and ground surfaces and channels them to an internal pond. Close to 85% of our total industrial water needs are met by our rainwater harvesting. On top of this we also have multiple methods to treat and reuse wastewater. We are proud to state that we are a zero-discharge plant.
Keeping this in context, our commitment to revitalize 10 water bodies around our manufacturing plant is a natural extension of our conservation efforts inside the plant. The rationale for this project is multifaceted, with environmental stewardship and community engagement playing important roles.
Our main objective with the lake restoration projects is to make sure that we are able to restore the water capacity of the water body. Over the years, these lakes and ponds have been able to hold lesser amounts of water because there has been a thick layer of silt that has accumulated at the bottom, making the waterbodiesshallower, leading to easier water evaporation as well. Through our restoration activities, which include desilting, dredgingand deepening of the water bodies, we are able to increase water holding capacity which means more water for the villages dependent on these water bodies. Additionally, this action in turn drives better water percolation to ground water tables so al the wells and borewells in the area are also recharged.
Q. Please tell us about the process of identifying these water bodies, community consultations and choosing experts/partners to implement this project.
A. RNAIPL is committed to the wellbeing of our neighbourhood communities. So, our priority is to support the villages and communities that are located in the immediate vicinity of the plant. For example, the largest lake that we are restoring as part of this initiative is Oragadamlake and this is located right opposite the entrance to the plant and supports the fresh water needs of six villages in the vicinity. Our work on the lake will add about 117 million litres equivalent of extra water storage to the lake. If you’re wondering how large 117 million litres is, this amount of water can meet the requirements for over 200,000 people for a day. The other lakes and ponds that we are working on are also located in and around Oragadam/ Kanchipuram district.
We have a team of water conservation experts from within RNAIPL working with NGOs locally to identify the scope and execute the project in consultation with the communities and local governing bodies. It is also important to monitor and evaluate the project's progress and impact over time. The results of the monitoring and evaluation can be used to inform future project planning and implementation.
Q. Carbon neutrality, Safety and Inclusion are the three pillars of Renault Group’s environmental and societal strategy. Could you elaborate about your commitment to carbon neutrality with specific reference to India?
A. Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt Ltd is a JV company under the Renault Nissan Global Alliance. We manufacture cars for both Nissan and Renault for India and export markets. When it comes to commitment to carbon neutrality, we borrow the best of both worlds.
The two pillars of Sustainability and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) are a core part of our operational philosophy. As mentioned before, we work towards minimizing the impact of our operations on the environment and to this extent we have undertaken various resource optimization projects including utilization of renewable energy sources for our operations. We currently use more than 50% renewable energy including solar, biomass and wind.
In February of this year, our Alliance Board Member and Nissan Global COO MrAshwani Gupta announced that our plant will become carbon neutral by 2045. This will be based on a two-pronged approach. The first is to reduce our energy consumption by building internal efficiencies. And the second is to transition to 100% renewable energy sources. One of the plans in this initiative is to expand our current solar plant from about 2.2 MW capacity to about 14 MW capacity.
Q. Please tell us about the initiatives/projects that were undertaken in the recent past towards Inclusion?
A. We strive to provide equal access to opportunities and resources for people, both to our employees as well as to people living in our neighbouring communities, who may not otherwise be able to access developmental opportunities.
For example, we provide free driving lessons to female technicians who may not otherwise be able to learn driving a four-wheeler. This helps gain personal confidence and some of them have also gone on to drive a car in their families. Similarly for the communities around us, we have embarked on a number of initiatives that provide better access to healthcare, education and quality of life.
We recently upgraded and expanded the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Chengalpattu Government Medical College. The latter is the only medical facility that provides critical paediatric care for underprivileged children in the district and the expansion and upgrade of the ICU facility will allow for more young lives to receive timely lifesaving medical treatment.
However, the above is not an isolated investment and we are also working on several other community projects that touch upon healthcare and wellbeing. For example, under one of our initiatives we are supporting five neighbourhood villages (Kandigai, Appur, Ezhichur, Vadukupattu and Perinjampakkam) with service projects that include medical camps, yoga and meditation sessions, skill development for women’s empowerment and environmental awareness programmes.
In order to provide a more conducive learning environment for school children from underprivileged backgrounds, we are also investing in school infrastructure upgrades at about 10 schools in and around Chennai and Kanchipuram district.
We are also working on general infrastructure upgrades and safety measures such as road signal, solar blinkers, CCTV cameras and barricade installation, for roads going through villages around our plant.
Taken together our efforts touch thousands of lives and we continue to explore ways of supporting communities around us through impactful CSR initiatives.
Q. How are you balancing your market competitiveness with your sustainability goals?
A. Wehave adopted a "sustainability-first" approach that integrates sustainability considerations into our business strategy, operations and decision-making processes.We further measure and report sustainability performance, investing in sustainability innovation and engaging stakeholders to implement sustainable practices across our value and supply chains.Wealso align our sustainability goals with our business strategy by identifying the sustainability risks and opportunities that are most relevant to our business and integrating them into our overall strategy.
Q. What would be the key focus areas/projects of your CSR strategy in 2023 in India?
A. RNAIPL has been working to make a positive contribution to the communities that support us and we have also attributed top priority to ensuring environment sustainability. We strive to create a healthier and happier world and enrich livesof all our stakeholders and community at large through our CSR initiatives. Our key focus areas for our CSR strategy in 2023 will continue to be healthcare, sustainability and education.
Q. What kind of collaborative support do you expect from your partners? Are there any specific measures or parameters that you expect your partners to fulfill?
A. Our CSR implementation partners are key to successful delivery of our CSR project parameters and to a successful engagement and sustained relationship with our communities. There are specific measures or parameters that we expect our partners to fulfill, depending on the nature of the project and the goals of the collaboration. Our expectations and requirements for our partners when collaborating on sustainability projects include technical expertise, financial support, stakeholder engagement and accountability. Partners are expected to bring technical expertise to the project, such as knowledge of environmental or civil engineering or sustainable practices. Their expertise complements the technical skills of our internal CSR project teams who validate the project through the different stages.
Q.As a corporate, are there any challenges you face in identifying the right projects, partners or during the implementation phase? How are these addressed?
A.At RNAIPL we have a rigorous process for evaluation and selection of CSR projects. We have internal committees for specific verticals such as health, educationetc with experts who are able to assess project credentials. By conducting a thorough analysis, engaging stakeholders, developing comprehensive plans, and using rigorous impact measurement and reporting methodologies, we make sure that we select the appropriate projects and project implementation partners for successful impact on our communities.
Q. What are your views on current ESG reporting norms in India? How are they different from those commonly followed in the western economies?
A.We respect and comply with any existing norms for reporting and compliance, including for ESG, in India.
Q. What is your message to the corporate sector and key stakeholders towards bringing sustainability into their business and the communities in which they operate?
A.RNAIPL believes that sustainability is a critical issue that needs to be taken seriously by everyone in society including the corporate sector and other key stakeholders.Incorporating sustainability principles into business strategy can help build long-term value and foster innovation. By considering the environmental, social and economic impacts of our operations, we can identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and create positive social and environmental impacts.Sustainability is not just a nice-to-have, it's a must-have for any business that wants to create long-term value, enhance its reputation and contribute to a better world.
