NOIDA, India, Sept 26, 2023—HCLFoundation, which delivers the corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda for HCLTech in India, conducted a community-driven voluntary coastal cleanup campaign spanning Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Kerala and Karnataka on International Coastal Cleanup Day, globally observed on the third Saturday of September.
HCLFoundation orchestrated the Plogathon (picking up litter while jogging) in collaboration with HCLTech employees, communities and other partners, including The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust, Hand in Hand Inclusive Development Services, SPANDAN, ReefWatch Marine Conservation, Plan@Earth and Animal Warriors Conservation Society. This initiative encouraged citizens to actively participate in coastal cleanup activities while raising awareness about the urgent need to conserve our marine environment.
“We believe that genuine transformation begins at the grassroots level, with communities taking ownership of their coastal ecosystems. Through the Plogathon campaign, we seek to not only remove waste but also to instill a profound sense of responsibility toward the oceans that sustain us," said Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President, Global CSR, HCLFoundation.
Plogathon aligns with HCLFoundation's commitment to environmental stewardship. The foundation is deeply involved in initiatives that focus on protecting, restoring and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. This encompasses the conservation and rejuvenation of natural water bodies, including lakes, wetlands and natural springs.
HCLFoundation’s coastal and marine conservation efforts helped raise 608,100 mangroves saplings for plantation, collect 115,487 kg ghost nets, release 3,00,000 turtle hatchling and rescue more than 200 mega-fauna including turtles, dolphins and whale sharks entangled in ghost nets.
About HCLFoundation
HCLFoundation delivers the corporate social responsibility agenda of HCLTech in India. The Foundation contributes to national and international development goals by investing in long-term sustainable programs and special initiatives with thematic focus on education, nurturing grassroots sports, health and sanitation, skill development and livelihood, environment and disaster risk reduction and response management. To ensure equitable development, child protective strategies, inclusion and gender transformative approaches are at the core of all the programs of the Foundation. Till date, the HCLFoundation has positively impacted over 5.5 million lives. To learn more visit www.hclfoundation.org
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Siddhartha Bhatnagar, India