Sustainability Action in India
As we continue to expand our diverse origination and production operations in India, our focus is on environmental sustainability and positive action in the communities where we operate
Farmer Training & Information Center
LDC constructed a farmer training & information center, as well as an adjacent dormitory in Gurugram within the state of Haryana, where poor social and economic conditions and a lack of technical knowledge have historically hampered farmers’ progress.
The center aims to improve the livelihoods of over 10,000 local horticulture farming families by training them in new crop technologies and efficient irrigation methods with the potential to increase yields and incomes, while providing timely information relating to markets, weather, disease and pest control.
Cotton Sustainability Project
LDC is partnering with the Better Cotton Growth and Innovation Fund, powered by the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), and Indian cotton ginner Puneet Enterprises, on a cotton sustainability project in the state of Maharashtra.
Running from 2018 to 2020, the project is supporting some 15,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the districts of Aurangabad and Jalgaon by sharing sustainable agricultural practices in accordance with Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) principles. In so doing, the project aims to help alleviate or address some of the social, economic and climatic challenges of cotton production, such as dependence on credit, unpredictable weather conditions, lack of technical information and market access, as well as gender inequality.
Maize Sustainability Project
In partnership with the Self Reliant Initiative through Joint Action (SRIJA), Haveri, and Initiatives for Development Foundation, Bengaluru, LDC rendered support to some 600 smallholder maize farmers in the form of training in sustainable agricultural practices over an 18-month period which successfully helped to improve yields and incomes. In particular, the farmers gained knowledge about various cropping systems and their impact on corn production, as well as how to maintain good soil conditions through reduced use of chemical fertilizers.
Action in Communities
Since establishing operations in India, LDC has supported many initiatives across the country to help improve the lives of the people and the communities where we operate. Some of our recent activities include:
Sanitation for Rural Communities
In support of Prime Minister Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission), LDC India has built 168 toilets, benefitting over 600 people in Tappar village near our Kandla refinery.
Health Check-Up Camps
Periodic free health check-up camps are organized for communities living close to our Kandla oil refinery. More than 250 people, mostly women and children, are beneficiaries at every camp.
Supporting Education
LDC helped build a new classroom for the Arjun Vidhyalay village school in Bhimasar, Kandla, allowing it to accommodate 50 more children every year.
LDC also carried out essential repairs on Utlabalijapalem Primary School in Nellore District, and distributed education kits and school bags to primary school students in Balijapalem and Kollamitta. Some 2,700 sets of school uniform and footwear kits have also been given to children in rural mother and child care centers.
In addition, LDC supported Govt Higher Primary School, located close to our coffee facility in Koppa, with the construction of a new dining hall, providing a safe, healthy and hygienic environment for the students to have their meals in. The hall has also been used by the community as a venue for government examinations and a dining space for election officials.
Providing Medical supplies and Blood Donations
LDC has distributed calipers for children with cerebral palsy who have undergone surgeries through the Red Cross in Kandla. Our employees also participate in blood donation drives conducted from time to time in collaboration with local Red Cross offices.
Conserving Energy
LDC is committed to minimizing our impact on the environment, both in our industrial assets and our offices. Our teams throughout India are working closely with LDC’s Energy Global Competence Center to contribute towards the saving of energy.
