Food and FMCG companies today sit at the intersection of some of India's most pressing development priorities, from climate resilience and responsible sourcing to farmer livelihoods and nutrition. As expectations from businesses continue to evolve, companies are increasingly being called upon to create value that balances economic growth with environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
Against this backdrop, LT Foods has sought to embed sustainability across its operations, with initiatives spanning climate-smart agriculture, farmer engagement, rural development, education, and healthcare. The company has also focused on advancing sustainable rice cultivation, with an emphasis on reducing the environmental footprint of farming while improving outcomes for growers.
In this conversation with TheCSRUniverse, Ms. Monika Chawla Jaggia, Chief Corporate Development Officer, LT Foods Ltd, discusses the company's CSR and ESG priorities, its approach to farmer welfare and impact measurement, and the trends shaping the future of responsible business in India.
Read the full interview below for more insights.
Q&A
Q. Given the increasing humanitarian and environmental issues, how important is the role of CSR and ESG initiatives by Indian corporates?
A. Today, CSR and ESG are no longer optional for corporates; they are strategic imperatives. India is facing simultaneous challenges around climate change, water stress, rural distress, food security, healthcare access, and education inequality. The corporates therefore have a very important role to play in complementing national development priorities.
At LT Foods, we strongly believe that businesses must move beyond profit creation and become active contributors to societal and environmental progress. Sustainability is deeply embedded into our philosophy — from sustainable sourcing and farmer engagement to clean energy adoption and community development.
In fact, we have been working on sustainable farm production practices since 2021, and LT Foods became the first company globally to be certified at the highest level of verification—L3—by the UN-backed Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) ecolabel.
Well before CSR spending became a statutory requirement, LT Foods had already been working closely with farmers to support their upliftment and livelihoods, reflecting our belief that sustainability must be deeply embedded in how we operate.
We have also committed to achieving carbon neutrality for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions for LT Foods (standalone) and Nature Bio Foods by 2030.
Indian corporates today have the scale, innovation capability, and execution strength to create transformational impact. The need of the hour is to build long-term, measurable, and transparent interventions that create sustainable outcomes rather than short-term visibility.
Q. What are some of the key CSR initiatives taken by LT Foods?
A. At LT Foods, CSR is deeply embedded in our philosophy of creating long-term value for communities alongside business growth. Guided by a purpose-led approach, our CSR initiatives focus on driving meaningful impact across four focus areas: Education; Health, Nutrition & Wellness; Environment; and Integrated Village Adoption.
Through collaborative and community-centric programmes, we continue to work towards building resilient ecosystems and improving the quality of life for underserved communities across the regions we operate in. Some of the initiatives include:
1. Education
We believe that access to quality education is a foundational pillar of inclusive development. Our efforts are directed towards infrastructure enhancement, digital learning, and direct student support:
- School Adoption Programme: We have adopted 70 schools across India, converting 26 of them into smart classrooms to improve digital access and learning outcomes. A total of 11,000 students have benefitted from this programme.
- ‘Eat Right, Fit’ Programme: We partnered with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for their ‘Eat Right, Fit’ programme, covering 40 schools in Madhya Pradesh and Delhi), benefitting 7,500 students through nutrition awareness and healthy eating habits.
- Sponsoring the Undergrad Education: We sponsor the undergraduate education of underprivileged students at Ashoka University, Sonepat. Currently, 5 students are being supported through this programme.
- Partnering with the NGOs: We have partnered with NGOs in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) and Uttarakhand to support two key initiatives - Meal Sponsorship Programme and Girl Education Programme. Last year, we extended support to a total of more than 4100 people through these collaboration
- Infrastructure Development: Over the year, we also undertook the construction of residential infrastructure for a school in Dehradun, benefitting 560 students.
2. Health, Nutrition & Wellness
We are committed to improving health outcomes, particularly in underserved rural communities. Our initiatives focus on preventive care, nutrition, and women’s health:
- TB Elimination Programme: In collaboration with the District Health Department, Raisen, we support the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) through nutritional support and awareness on early detection. Last year, more than 3,000 TB patients have been supported through this programme.
- Menstrual Hygiene Awareness: We have distributed over 2 lakh sanitary pads across Madhya Pradesh, directly benefitting 28,000 women and girls, alongside targeted awareness drives in marginalised communities.
- Nutrition Support: We have distributed food baskets to 945 underprivileged children in Raisen, supplementing their nutritional needs.
- Cataract Surgeries: We have facilitated 400 cataract surgeries around Sonipat, restoring vision to underserved patients.
- Hospital Support: We contribute ₹40 lakhs annually to Maharaja Jagat Singh Hospital Relief Society, supporting healthcare access for the underprivileged.
3. Environment
Sustainability is deeply integrated into our business model, with a strong focus on farmer welfare, water conservation, soil health, and climate resilience:
- Sustainable Farming Practices: We have enabled sustainable and organic farming practices across 1,25,000 hectares, directly benefitting 96,000 farmers. Through SRP standards and best practices such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), laser land levelling, and integrated pest management, we help reduce water consumption by nearly 20% and methane emissions from flooded rice fields significantly.
- Fair Trade Certification: We have extended Fair Trade certification support to 10,000 farmers, ensuring fair remuneration and access to global markets.
Integrated Village Adoption
Through our Integrated Village Adoption initiative in Raisen and Chattarpur, Madhya Pradesh, we work on rural infrastructure, clean drinking water, women’s health & hygiene, education, and livelihood enhancement in farming communities connected to our sourcing ecosystem. We have adopted more than 15 villages in Madhya Pradesh, directly benefitting 13,000 community members.
Q. What key trends and insights do you foresee shaping the CSR sector in the next few years?
A. The CSR landscape is evolving rapidly from a compliance-driven approach to a more strategic, impact-led model. In the coming years, we expect to see greater emphasis on measurable outcomes, data-driven decision-making, and stronger alignment between CSR initiatives and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Stakeholders are increasingly seeking evidence of tangible social and environmental impact rather than just reporting on activities.
Technology will play a pivotal role in enhancing transparency, monitoring, and scalability of CSR programs, particularly in areas such as education, healthcare, skill development, and livelihood generation. We also foresee deeper collaboration between corporates, governments, NGOs, and local communities to address complex developmental challenges more effectively.
Another significant trend will be the growing integration of environmental sustainability, climate resilience, water conservation, and regenerative agriculture into CSR strategies. At the same time, investments in skilling, employability, women empowerment, and rural development are expected to gain further momentum as organizations contribute to building inclusive and resilient communities.
Overall, the future of CSR will be defined by partnerships, innovation, accountability, and a sharper focus on creating long-term, sustainable impact at scale.
Q. What initiatives do you have in place to ensure welfare of the farmers?
A. At LT Foods, sustainability is deeply integrated into our business model, with a strong focus on farmer welfare, water conservation, soil health, and climate resilience. As a founding member of the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP), we have played a pioneering role in advancing sustainable rice cultivation globally.
In 2020, we became the first company in the world to achieve the highest Level 3 (L3) verification under the SRP Assurance Scheme for sustainable rice cultivation. More recently, we achieved another global milestone with SRP verification for low-carbon rice cultivation, reaffirming our leadership in climate-smart agriculture. Independent third-party audits have validated that our farming practices significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional rice cultivation methods.
Through the adoption of SRP standards and best practices such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), laser land levelling, crop rotation, and integrated pest management, we are enabling efficient water usage, improving soil health, and enhancing farm productivity. These interventions help reduce water consumption by nearly 20% and methane emissions from flooded rice fields significantly. We currently cover 1,25,000 hectares under sustainable and organic farming practices, benefitting 96,000 farmers.
Equally important is the economic well-being of farmers. Sustainable farming practices promoted by us can improve farmers’ net incomes by 10–20%, while also strengthening resilience against climate-related risks. We support farmers through regular training programmes, fair remuneration practices, safe working conditions, and targeted capacity-building initiatives, particularly for women farmers.
To improve transparency and financial awareness at the farm level, we have also introduced a dedicated mobile application that digitally tracks farming activities and input costs, enabling farmers to make more informed decisions.
In addition, all our facilities are SRP Chain of Custody certified, ensuring traceability, segregation of compliant produce, and adherence to global food safety standards. Together, these initiatives reflect our long-term commitment towards sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, and inclusive rural development.
Q. How do you measure and evaluate the impact of CSR activities undertaken?
A. Impact measurement is what separates meaningful CSR from mere activity. At LT Foods, we follow a structured, governance-led approach — every programme is designed with clear baseline metrics, defined outcomes, and periodic progress reviews built in from the outset.
Several of our initiatives are independently verified through third-party organisations, bringing an added layer of credibility and transparency to our work. In addition, we conduct regular internal audits to ensure that our programmes are being implemented effectively, resources are being utilised responsibly, and outcomes are aligned with our stated commitments. Together, these mechanisms reflect our belief that genuine impact must be measurable, accountable, and consistently reviewed — not just reported.
Beyond numbers, we maintain continuous engagement with communities, NGOs, farmers, and partners to capture ground-level feedback and course-correct where needed. To date, our initiatives have impacted over 1.8 beneficiaries — a figure we track not as a headline, but as a measure of the depth and reach of our on-ground work.
Authentic impact is about measurable action, independent validation, and long-term accountability — and that is the standard we hold ourselves to.
Q. A lot of companies end-up engaging in greenwashing, how do you ensure transparency and ethical process for all CSR and ESG initiatives?
A. Transparency and accountability are extremely important to us. At LT Foods, we follow a structured governance-led approach towards CSR and ESG implementation.
Our sustainability disclosures are aligned with recognised reporting frameworks, including the Integrated Reporting Framework, SEBI regulations, Companies Act requirements, and Business Responsibility & Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) norms.
Importantly, many of our sustainability initiatives are independently verified. For example, our Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) certifications and low-carbon rice verification are based on third-party assessments and global standards. We also undertake impact studies for several CSR programmes and monitor project progress periodically through structured governance mechanisms.
Our risk management framework includes oversight on ESG, compliance, responsible sourcing, data transparency, and stakeholder accountability.
At the operational level, we maintain regular stakeholder engagement with communities, NGOs, regulators, farmers, investors, and partners to ensure transparency and responsiveness. We believe authentic ESG is not about communication-led positioning; it is about measurable action, independent validation, and long-term accountability.
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