HUL conferred Bombay Chamber Civic Award for 2007-08

Nitin Paranjpe, CEO, HUL, received the award from S.C. Jamir, Governor of Goa and Maharashtra yesterday, at a ceremony held in Mumbai on the occasion of the Annual General Meeting of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI). Dr. Indu Shahani, Honorable Sheriff of Mumbai and Dr. Jairaj Phatak, Municipal Commissioner of Mumbai, were also present.

BCCI in its award citation stated, “HUL’s water conservation and harvesting initiatives are created with principles of reduce, reuse, recycle, recover and renew to help adjacent villages of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and make water available round the year.”

The Karchond project, started in September 2003, has been executed in partnership with Vanarai, an NGO with proven experience and expertise in integrated rural development. The project’s core area is water harvesting and about 90 check dams have been built so far, covering 550 acres. A number of tribal families have benefited from the project. Many of them have been able to sow second crops and thereby preventing migration for 90 days on an annual basis. In 2007, 80 tcm of total run off water was harvested.

Apart from water conservation, the project has also been extended to include soil conservation, horticulture plantation and afforestation as part of an overall rural development initiative. So far, soil conservation has been done on 140 acres, about 6000 mango trees were planted through horticulture plantation and close to 60,000 trees were planted on private lands of the villagers as part of afforestation programme.

The project also includes other rural development activities such as alternate income-generation through self-help groups, animal husbandry camps, health and hygiene education for people, toilet block construction, imparting knowledge in best agriculture practices and distribution of seeds. So far, about 155 families have benefited under various programmes of the project.

HUL firmly believes that Doing Well and Doing Good are two sides of the same coin. Thus, the Karchond village project fits well into HUL’s Corporate Responsibility.

About HUL Corporate Responsibility

HUL’s Vision is to earn the love and respect of India by making a real difference to every Indian. HUL integrates its social, economic and environmental agenda with its brands, its people and the way it operates. HUL has identified five key platforms – health & nutrition, empowerment of women, enhancing livelihoods, water conservation and cutting green house gases – to pursue its corporate responsibility.

About Hindustan Unilever Limited

HUL is India's largest Fast Moving Consumer Goods company, touching the lives of two out of three Indians. HUL’s mission is to “add vitality to life” through its presence in over 20 distinct categories in Home & Personal Care Products and Foods & Beverages. The company meets everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene, and personal care, with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life.