In Green Company (Hindu Business Line- 2007)

Whether they stem from vested interest or sheer altruism, eco-friendly corporate gestures are getting the green thumbs-up.

Employees are offered incentives to follow green principles. Chillibreeze employees work in virtual space, doing away with the need to commute to office or use paper.

Deepti Belliappa Ganapathy

“Let every individual and institution now think and act as a responsible trustee of Earth, seeking choices in ecology, economics and ethics that will provide a sustainable future, eliminate pollution, poverty and violence, awaken the wonder of life and foster peaceful progress in the human adventure.”

— John McConnell, founder of International Earth Day

In an era of knowledge economies, new definitions of corporate governance have emerged. With the rising importance of sustainable development and the impact of ‘social responsibility’ on the image of an organisation, new-generation leaders and entrepreneurs appear keen to turn ‘green’ with responsibility.

The planting of trees, use of solar energy, rainwater harvesting, eco buildings and so on are part of this ‘Be green’ movement, helping companies sustain commercial success without compromising on ethical values, people and the environment. Companies like American Express, AT&T, DuPont, Ford, General Motors, Johnson & Johnson, and Levi Strauss have been getting their green act together for over a decade now. These acts may be perceived by some as vested business interests or marketing exercises, however environmentalists are giving them the green thumbs-up.

Equally encouraging is the advent of events such as the Green Technology World Conference to guide all-size organisations in embracing green initiatives. In India, industry bodies and associations such as FICCI are in the process of compiling a report titled ‘Green Companies of India: Corporate Contribution to Sustainable Development’.

Chillibreeze, a content and design service provider in India, has announced the launch of the ‘Greenest Company Challenge’, a movement to enthuse companies to go green. One of the first steps is generating awareness within the organisation. Employees are offered incentives to follow green principles. IT majors such as Infosys Technologies encourage employees to use car pools, thereby contributing their bit to reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions. Chillibreeze employees work in virtual space, saving on fuel consumption needed to commute and the need for paper. Most of its employees and writers operate from home or base locations around the world. At its design division in Shillong, the company has advised employees to cycle to work to help reduce emissions. Even a large giant such as Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp is aiming to turn carbon neutral and offsetting carbon emissions using wind turbines in India. NBC Universal has taken the initiative to educate viewers on the need for individuals to cut down on harmful emissions.

Today, the trend is towards using resources effectively. The steps include: recycling biodegradable waste, use of natural gas as boiler fuel, use of recyclable packaging, use of biomass and solar radiation as sources of renewable energy, water recycling, rainwater harvesting, generating electricity from hydroelectric plants, air-conditioning through earth-air tunnels as well as tree planting. Companies such as Johnson & Johnson India Ltd, Chillibreeze, BHEL, BPCL, LG Electronics, IBM, Punjab National Bank, as well as key players in the hospitality industry are patrons of these methodologies.

Corporate giants are also collaborating with NGOs to promote the ‘be green’ message. US Technology (Kerala) donated as many as 2,007 saplings to the Kerala Department of Forests, and planted trees at the Thiruvananthapuram Technopark, where the company is located. Chillibreeze is also geared towards the development of the North-East region as an IT destination. Employees have been planting Cherry, Walnut, Chestnut, Maple, Peach and Magnolia trees along public roads in Shillong.

Biofuel, popularly known as renewable energy, makes a worthy contribution to the ‘be green’ movement. Auto majors such as DaimlerChrysler India, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors among others are working towards popularising the use of biodiesel on Indian roads. Hero Honda Motors Ltd has several green initiatives such as zero effluent discharge and water treatment facilities.

Explaining the rationale behind Chillibreeze’s ‘Greenest Company Challenge’, Ralph Budelman, CEO, says, “We challenge other Indian companies to prove that they use lesser carbon per employee.” Through such initiatives industry can hopefully enhance India’s standing on the global Green map.

(This article was published in the Business Line print edition dated November 23, 2007)

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-life/in-green-company/article1682441.ece