Mumbai, March 27, 2024: FMCG company Marico Limited has announced that its Jalgaon facility has been certified ‘Water Neutral’ with independent verification by DNV Business Assurance India.
Marico’s Jalgoan facility has created over 2X water capacity in FY23, compared to its total consumption in operations. The total water credited is more than the total water debited, exhibiting positive water balance status. The freshwater intake (ground source) is lesser as compared to rainwater harvested for community use.
This milestone was attained through Marico’s Water Stewardship Programme - Jalashay, that aims to offset water consumption by creating water storage potential for communities in water stress regions across the country. Spearheaded in Jalgaon, the water stewardship program has created 12.4 crore litre rainwater conservation potential in the region. Further, the programme has created 292.52 crore litres of water conservation potential till date and managed to touch the lives of over 50000 beneficiaries who benefit from water availability for irrigation and domestic usage.
Commenting on this milestone, Amit Bhasin, Chief Legal Officer & Group General Counsel and Secretary of the CSR Committee, Marico Limited said, “Water is a core thrust area of Marico’s sustainability agenda. Since the inception of our sustainability vision for 2030, we have prioritized water stewardship as one of our key focus areas and thus achieving water neutrality is a significant milestone for us. We believe that the creation of a holistic policy is vital towards ensuring water efficiency and sustainability, as this is the foundation on which our water management practices are built on. We are continuously evaluating and executing innovative projects to reduce water consumption across our operational footprint. We have implemented rainwater harvesting ponds, treatment and reuse of effluents and sewage water, eco water fittings, among others. The water stewardship project at Jalgaon seeks to address water scarcity challenges, enhance agricultural sustainability, and uplift the community's quality of life through comprehensive water resource management.”
Marico’s Jalgaon plant has implemented comprehensive water conservation measures, including rainwater harvesting, infrastructure development, and community engagement initiatives, despite operating in a region prone to water scarcity. These efforts have not only enhanced water availability but also contributed to agricultural sustainability and improved the quality of life for local communities. The program has been instrumental in driving awareness of water-resilient cropping and improved farming techniques such as drip irrigation, mulching, solar-powered pumps, vermicomposting, and water budgeting. In a year, the program was able to create 13.50 crore litres of water harvesting capacity, replenishing water for the drought-prone villages of Jalgaon.
As part of Jalashay’s 2030 objective, the goal is to replenish 100% water consumed in operations by reducing water consumption, promoting efficient water use, and contributing to water conservation efforts, thus creating water storage potential for communities in water-stressed regions across the country. Through collaborations with NGOs and community organisations, Jalashay implements water conservation activities such as dam desilting, rejuvenation of water bodies, and construction of farm ponds. In FY23, the programme had operational water footprint of 12.88 crore litres and had taken a target of creating a water conservation potential of 18 crore litres programme.
