Pondicherry, India: Marico Limited has partnered with Department of Forest and Wildlife, Tourism Development Department of the Government of Puducherry and village panchayats for a unique conservation initiative to protect local sea turtles along the Pondicherry coastline.
Marico Limited empowered the community to collect and safely incubate 33,413 Olive Ridley turtle hatchlings over a period of 48 to 52 days during the eight-month long turtle hatching season. Under the initiative ‘Save Olive Ridley Turtle’, Marico supported the government in establishing turtle protection camps, collecting turtle eggs, managing hatcheries, and conducting awareness activities to protect this endangered species.
These efforts spanned across several coastal villages, including Narambai, Nallavadu, Veerampattinam, Kalapet, Panithittu, and Manapet, contributing significantly to marine conservation and biodiversity preservation. True to its commitment, Marico ensured zero human intervention during the hatching and the baby turtles’ journey to the sea, allowing them to make their way to the water naturally – a crucial step in their survival.
In addition, nearly 40 local fishermen were equipped with skills and knowledge about turtle conservation through various workshops and field training in partnership with forest and tourism officials. Those who actively supported the project received a monthly compensation of ₹5,000 for the duration of the initiative, offering an additional source of income for the fishermen community in the region.
Speaking about the effort, Amit Bhasin, Chief Legal Officer, Group General Counsel, and Secretary of the CSR Committee, Marico Limited said, “Our guiding light and defining ethos at Marico Limited has always been to ‘make a difference’ and create a positive impact for the people we engage with, as well as the community and the environment within which we operate. This has guided our community in Pondicherry, along with local villagers, and forest department officials, to work tirelessly for over eight months, nurturing sea turtles from eggs until they made their way safely to the ocean. This project is a testament to what we stand for at Marico Limited.”
Besides this project, as part of Marico Limited’s ‘Be the Impact’ campaign, an initiative that encourages employees across India to contribute to environmental and community well-being, Marico’s Pondicherry team continues to undertake various grassroot projects. These include regular beach cleaning initiatives by Members conducted two to three times a year. Further, Marico members have also undertaken the cleaning of ponds and water bodies in the area, along with providing 1,000 saplings to the Pondicherry Pollution Control Board for its ‘One Tree One Home’ project.