CSR at Larsen & Toubro is Constructing a Robust and Sustainable India

L&T is synonymous with large infrastructure projects in India. Be it Highways, Power Plants, Weapons, Nuclear Power Plants, Metros or for that matter World’s Tallest Statue – The Statue of Unity in Vadodara, Gujarat, Larsen and Toubro has made India proud for years.

L&T is a conglomerate with a major presence in engineering, construction, technology, manufacturing and financial services with operation across the globe. With over 8 decades of corporate existence, the company takes pride in its sustainable operations. Larsen and Toubro’s integrated approach towards sustainability in its operations has bestowed them with accolades at various sustainability awards.

1. CSR at Larsen & Toubro

Larsen and Toubro has always given importance to the impact they have on society through their operations. Considering that the company touches so many facets of lives in India, they have ensured inclusive growth of the community around which it operates.

Building on over eight decades of social responsibility activities, the Company contributes to inclusive growth by empowering communities and accelerating development through interventions in four core areas of water & sanitation, health, education and skill development.

It runs a special volunteering program called – L&T-eering, which encourages and empowers employees to contribute towards social issues and development of the community. The employees’ wives and female employees are also involved in the CSR works of Larsen and Toubro and run the Prayas Trust, driving CSR initiatives in their own capacity and reaching out to remote communities.

In the recent years, L&T consolidated its CSR programmes with a focus on certain development areas that align with the global and national development agenda which has led to improved focus and a profound impact in the thematic areas where the company operates.

The Company’s CSR programmes are based on the theme ‘Building India’s Social Infrastructure’. L & T CSR’s objective is to contribute positively to society, improve the quality of life, provide sustainable solutions and make a meaningful impact. The CSR interventions of Larsen and Toubro are based on the CSR Policy and are in line with the Companies Act 2013 and CSR Rules 2014.

2. CSR Policy

Larsen & Toubro Limited fosters a culture of caring, trust and continuous learning while meeting the expectations of all stakeholders and society at large. As a responsible Corporate Citizen, the Company contributes to inclusive growth by empowering communities and accelerating development.

The Company’s CSR Policy framework details the mechanisms for undertaking various programmes in accordance with section 135 of the Companies Act 2013 for the benefit of the community.

2.1 CSR Committee

The CSR Governance structure comprises of the Board, CSR Committee, Apex Sustainability & CSR (SCSR) team, IC SCSR Teams and Unit SCSR Teams.

Responsibility of the CSR Committee:

– Formulate and recommend the CSR Policy to the Board for approval

– Monitor the Policy from time to time

– Recommend the amount of expenditure to be incurred on CSR programmes

– Constitute a transparent monitoring mechanism for ensuring implementation of the CSR programme

– Allocate the programmes to the Independent Companies (‘IC’s) / Corporate to implement the same.

3. Water and Sanitation – Larsen and Toubro Health CSR interventions

Larsen and Toubro Corporate Social Responsibility Team champions an Integrated Community Development Program which started in 2014-15. The program’s intervention in water and sanitation focusses on making water available to six water-stressed districts in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu covering 20100 households across an area of 16844 hectares. This CSR initiative has been very successful and has ensured the availability of water for drinking, sanitation and agriculture.

3.1. Water interventions

LT CSR collaborates with the community which ensures participation from the beneficiaries of the project and hence ensures the long-term success of its CSR initiatives. Their intervention schemes involve water and soil conservation structures like check dams, anicuts, contour trenches, farm bunds and farm ponds. This has led to an increase in the water level as well as helped in retaining moisture in the soil.

The construction if these water structures involved Village Development Committees(VDCs), at least 50% of women in the farmer groups as well as Self Help Groups (SHGs). This not only helps in water conservation but also creates equality. Farmers are also educated and trained on optimal usage of water in agricultural practices as well as zero-budget farming which helps sustain the long term arability of the land as well as higher profits for the farmers.

The Kookara – Lasariya watershed project, Bhim Block of Rajsamand District Rajasthan, enabled water holding of 6948 lakh litres in one year (2018-19) and made 54 hectares of barren land cultivable. The water interventions have increased land productivity by converting 46% of fallow land to cultivable land. This has boosted the local economy for 18300 households, raising the aspirations of the people.

3.2. WASH initiatives

Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan initiative discouraging open defecation in the country has created a new drive in the rural areas to become open defecation free (ODF). LT CSR has jumped on the bandwagon and is using its expertise and know-how in helping achieve this long-arching dream of Prime Minister Modi and Mahatma Gandhi.

L&T provided training to the youth in masonry skills and encouraged the usage of local materials to construct well-designed toilets-cum-bathrooms in schools and villages.

The ODF drive impact has been huge which has benefitted 40 hamlets, 11 revenue villages and 2 gram panchayat which includes 1108 families

4. Education

Morgan Freeman said, ” Literacy could be the ladder out of poverty.” Larsen and Toubro Education CSR interventions work towards fulfilling this dream of eradicating poverty by providing education to each and every child.

4.1. STEM ( Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) interventions by L&T

Larsen and Toubro’s CSR projects in the field of education are focused on ensuring sustainable development of communities and contribute to strengthening education and social infrastructure. These initiatives, which mostly cater to children from 3-18 years belonging to marginalized sections of society, provide support for better learning abilities of young minds and supplement learning in schools.

The projects not only cover academics but also touch various other facets of education which includes nutrition at the pre-primary level, setting up of basic infrastructures such as smart classrooms and soft skills to supplement textbook education. They also help train teachers in STEM education and hence make a difference in the entire education cycle of the child.

In 2018-19, L&T supported more than 400 schools and reached out to over 2.4 lakh children with its education initiatives pan-India.

5. Health – Larsen and Toubro Health CSR interventions

L&T’s CSR programme in the health sector aims at making quality health care services accessible and affordable without anyone having to face financial hardship. LT CSR works in collaboration with the government in the fields of family welfare, Mother and Child Health, HIV-AIDS, Tuberculosis, Blindness Control, Diabetes detection and treatment and reproductive health services.

They run health centres in multiple parts of the country which have well-qualified doctors and rehabilitation consultants. These multi-speciality centres provide services in Physical health as well as psychological issues. They also provide family counselling services that help address mental health and stress-related issues.

They run a huge facility in the Andheri suburb of Mumbai which completed 50 years of service. It is a state of the art facility which was further refurbished for better organisation and crowd management. As this facility sees a large number of patients every day, the up-gradation of facilities has increased waiting for space as well as facilitated patient education. The already comprehensive services have been supplemented with advanced services such as 2D Echo, spacious pathology laboratories, an ophthalmology unit as well as various health-check-up packages.

6. Larsen and Toubro Health Skill Development CSR Projects

L&T is a large conglomerate which has a presence in construction as well as technology services. It employees close to 50,000 people which gives them an idea about the skills needed to make people employable. Hence, Skill Development has emerged as a key strategy for their CSR projects. L&T’s Skill-Building initiative aims to create human resources for improving the country’s competitiveness and growth, especially in the field of Construction skills by training the youth.

L&T has established and operates 9 Construction Skills Training Institutes (CSTIs) in 8 states across the country. These institutes provide free formal and vocational training in construction skills for the large unorganised workforce in the sector. The skills imparted include bar-bending, formwork carpentry, masonry, scaffolding, welding, etc. and aim to train the large unorganised workforce in the sector employable.

It also provides vocational training to women in the fields of Tailoring, Embroidery, Beautician Course, Food processing, Home Management, Computer skills and Basic Education.

Their Skill Development projects have trained close to 20,000 people in employable vocational skills last year. Almost 9,000 youth completed various courses at the CSTs run by LT CSR in 2018-19.

Conclusion

Larsen and Toubro’s Integrated Community Development Program which guides their CSR projects has led to the sustainable development of the community in which it operates. Its focus on training the youth in employable skills also helps in building the nation’s economy and contributes towards a long-term positive effect on India’s development.