Solar -Windmill Hybrid – The bank works in association with the Nature Conservation Society, Amravati (NCSA) on this project to set up a unit that generates renewable energy, with a capacity to generate about 1 kW (500 watt wind and 500 watt solar) of electricity at their community centre at the Melghat Tiger Reserve. This is a hybrid unit that uses solar panels and a micro-turbine that initially stores the solar and wind energy in its batteries. This is then converted by an inverter into the appropriate wattage for use by the centre. This centre, first set up by NCSA in 2006, is a focal point to promote activities that lead to the development of self-sufficient villages in Melghat. The centre is not dependent on the Government for electricity and produces sufficient energy to run basic appliances.
Recycling of Paper Waste –
lnduslnd Bank initiated a new CSR program called “WOW” – A Waste Paper Collection drive in partnership with ITC-PSPD Ltd & Ramky Reclamation and Recycling Ltd (RRRL) with the aim of protecting the environment and reducing global warming by recovering valuable resources and recycling them. To date the initiative has been carried out in the South zone in Hyderabad, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala regions. The aim is to create awareness among citizens, institutions, business establishments and corporate offices on the need for waste avoidance, source segregation, maximum recycling and minimising waste-to-landfill and thereby to reduce the bank’s environmental impact.
The initiative focuses on collecting all kinds of waste paper from employees and branches and recycling it at an ISO-certified, PCB-approved recycling plant. Waste paper products include:
E-waste –
The bank initiated an E-Waste Collection Programme in all four zones (East, West, North and South). As part of this drive, branches across India are requested to collect electronic waste like ATMs, electronic scrap, IT equipment and so on. Zonal Branch managers will arrange for registered vendors to collect this waste and dispose of it in an eco-friendly manner or donate it to underprivileged or not-for-profit institutions. This e-Waste will be distributed or recycled by a PCB certified e-waste recycler thus ensuring the reduction of waste-to-landfill and indirectly reducing pollution.
The bank has collected 21,455 kgs of e-waste up to FY 2013-14.
Besides the sustainability initiatives within the bank itself, they also lend their assistance towards sustainable development projects in areas like sustainable farming, sanitation and biog as and solar energy.
Employee Awareness and Participation –
In order to drill sustainability into the DNA of the Bank, all of the bank’s sustainable practices are designed such that the employees are encouraged to participate and be a part of sustainable endeavours, celebrating Sustainability Week within departments, observing awareness days like World Environment Day, E-statement Day, E-waste Drive and completing an E-learning module on the environment.
The lnduslnd ‘Green Champion’ (GC) Programme has been pursued since 2009, with initiatives taken at various branches / offices of the Bank. The GC programme is driven by a group of 35 employee volunteers working hand-in hand with the CSR Department. A Green Champion must execute two activities in a year, which will include but will not be limited to:
Further to the Green Champion Programme’s success and increase in employee participation, in order to accommodate larger employee participation, the Green Champion Programme has an offshoot called ‘Green Commandos’, where employees contribute their time to bank-initiated CSR Initiatives monitored and managed by the Green Champions.
