MUMBAI:
ACC Trust, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of the country’s leading cement producer, ACC Ltd., has socially and economically enriched the lives of 8.3 lakh community members in 2020. This was achieved through its various CSR initiatives that encompass livelihood generation, education, and health and sanitation.
ACC Trust has been committed to fuelling the development of communities around areas of its operations. To further the welfare of community members, ACC has focused its initiatives on key impact areas —DISHA (Sustainable Livelihood), Vidya Utkarsh (Quality Education) and Wash (Water, Sanitation, Health & Hygiene).
“We were happy to transform lives of 8.3 lakh community members in 166 villages and 15 municipal areas. The COVID-19 pandemic motivated us to step up our efforts to protect and support communities. Through ACC Trust, we will continue to work diligently towards the social and economic welfare of the community members.” said Sridhar Balakrishnan, Managing Director & CEO, ACC Ltd.
In 2020, the Vidya Utkarsh programme touched 34,000 lives. 65 government schools were equipped with e-learning systems and over 13,000 children were supported through Anganwadi centres.
Through Disha, the trust empowered 7,600 women through Self Help Groups (SHGs). The programme benefitted 1700 youth through employability-linked skill training.
The Wash programme undertook the development of 90 water harvesting structures to resolve water woes of the communities. It reached out to 30,000 individuals through its safe drinking water projects.
ACC Trust also worked closely with 484 Anganwadi centers around its all manufacturing units under the Malnutrition Eradication project. This project benefitted 13,576 children. During the year, it also kicked off its Malnutrition Mitigation Project in partnership with Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) department and district administration.
2020 witnessed a global health crisis and in its fight against the pandemic, ACC Trust sprang into action with COVID-19 relief interventions focused on the health and safety of its communities and beyond.
Backed by the network of SHGs, ACC Trust stitched and distributed over 4 lakh cloth masks and over 2,80,000 cooked food packets were distributed to those in need. It partnered with local government authorities to carry out disinfection drives in communities which helped safeguard 4,45,000 people.
On ground, employees of ACC. and associated volunteers spread awareness about the need for social distancing, personal hygiene and need to wear mask to avoid the spread of the virus. ACC Trust also worked with three reputed NGOs to support daily-wagers, migrant labourers and slum-dwellers stranded throughout the country during the lockdown.
With ACC’s approach to inclusivity, it aims to continue leveraging its reach and influence to create an inclusive, sustainable and empowering ecosystem