Maruti Suzuki invests ₹154 Crores in CSR activities in 2018-19

Maruti Suzuki India Limited has invested over Rs. 154 crore towards its CSR initiatives during FY 2018-19. The Company’s CSR efforts are focused on community development, road safety and skill development. These are aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) corresponding to good health and well-being, quality education, clean water and sanitation, decent work and economic growth, and sustainable cities and communities.

Mr. Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, stated “Maruti Suzuki is focused on creating a visible social impact with its CSR initiatives. The projects are selected based on need-assessment and stakeholder consultation. These are closely monitored by the company and third party impact assessment is carried out. All our CSR efforts are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals propagated by the United Nations.”

Community Development:

Maruti Suzuki has taken up community development efforts in 26 villages of Haryana and Gujarat, focused towards the areas of water and sanitation, education, and community infrastructure. To ensure availability of portable water, the Company set up 21 water ATMs in 20 villages. In addition to this, it has constructed more than 4000 toilets, laid sewer lines, and provided support on waste management. Simultaneously, the Company actively supported the cause of education. It supports 50 schools through teacher training and infrastructure development in Haryana and Gujarat.

In Sitapur, Gujarat, the Company is setting up a 100 bed hospital by April 2021 to provide quality medical services to over 3,00,000 people residing in the area. It is also setting up a school in Sitapur by March 2020 which, in addition to academics, will focus on personality development of the students.

Skill Development:

Maruti Suzuki’s skill development programmes are aimed to prepare the youth for employment opportunities in manufacturing and service sectors. To support the Skill India initiative of the Government, the Company established the Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing (JIM) in Mehsana, Gujarat in 2017. Along with technical aspects, the institute provides students training in soft skills like Kaizen, 5S and 3G. As a testament to its success, both the batches which have graduated from JIM, Mehsana have secured 100% placement. The Company has also established the second JIM in Uncha Majra, Gurugram, Haryana.

The Company continued to support over 110 government ITIs across the country. It continuously undertakes measures to upgrade workshop infrastructure, provide training on manufacturing trades and enhance industry exposure for trainers as well as students. Simultaneously, soft skills training are imparted to make students industry-ready. In FY 2018-19 over 8,000 students have graduated from ITIs supported by the Company.

Road Safety:

The Company undertook two important road safety projects in the National Capital Region using state-of-the-art technologies. Partnering with Delhi Police, the Company implemented Speed Violation Detection System (SVDS) and Red Light Violation Detection System (RLVDS) in February 2019 for improved enforcement of traffic rules. Additionally, 12 Automated Driving Test Centres are being set up in association with the Transport Department of Delhi, to reform the drivers’ license issuance system.

In FY 18-19, the Company trained around 4,00,000 people at the 7 Institutes of Driving Training and Research (IDTRs) and 16 road safety knowledge centers (RSKC). These are set up in association with the state governments. Maruti Suzuki is working alongside the state governments of Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra, for these initiatives. Training is offered to existing as well as new drivers of private as well as commercial vehicles, apart from specialized training to operate forklifts. Additionally, traffic violators and license seekers are also provided guidance.

At the IDTR situated in Vadodara, over 14,000 tribal youth have been trained since 2009, of which more than 60% have gained employment. Concurrently, new technologies have been developed in partnership with Microsoft for deployment in driver training and automated driving testing programs initiated by the Company.

Recognition:

The Company’s CSR efforts were acknowledged through several awards and accolades, including:

· Commendation for Significant Achievement at the CII – ITC Sustainability Awards, 2018

· Gold Trophy in the category of Best ITI – Skill Development through PPP Model (second time in a row) at the ASSOCHAM’s Skilling India Awards, 2018

· Platinum Certificate for Best CSR Practices in Haryana at the First Haryana CSR Summit, 2018

· Grade 4 by the prestigious Economic Times 2 Good 4 Good CSR rating scheme