Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) considers the interests of the society by taking responsibility for the impact of activities on customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, comm-unities and other stakeholders, as well as the environment.

In Gaggar village, Bhatinda, Ambuja Cement has taken this responsibility to ensure permanent houses for 129 families belonging to a weaker section of the society. In doing so, they demonstrate the use of eco-friendly construction material in a cost efficient manner, ensuring a social and ecological impact.

Introduction
The construction of the new locality at Gaggar village is the result of the partnership of four different sectors: public, private, civil society and the community. While the issue of land and infrastructure is being ensured by the government, Ambuja Cement Foundation has ensured all financial support along with facilitating the training for the construction of this colony. Development Alternatives (DA) is providing technical support and inputs for the training sessions, and the community ensures labour of both skilled and unskilled nature.

Role of the Technical Support Agency
From the economic use of concrete and steel to the use of flyash bricks, from the use of rat-trap brick masonry to providing new technical skills for the contractors and local mason work force, DA has ensured that this project becomes an ideal model for others.

Environment-friendly Techniques and Materials
For this project a local micro-entrepreneur has been hired, who is providing pre-fabricated elements like flyash bricks, plank and joist roofing elements and MCR tiles. In the process, he is also being trained in the same.

The use of flyash bricks in the construction at Gaggar village is a new experience for the local mason force. Apart from advantages like higher compressive strength and finer edges, which the masons are able to comprehend, flyash bricks also offer various ecological advantages. The most important is the amount of energy consumed in the production of such bricks, which is way less when compared to normal red bricks, saving on the precious natural resources used in the brick kiln. Since there is no burning of any natural resource, there is also no air pollution. The use of flyash, which is a waste from power plants, also takes care of the issue of its disposal.

Another major advantage being offered at the construction of the colony in Gaggar village is the new type of construction technique, plank and joist at the roofing level and rat-trap brick masonry in the super-structure. Rat-trap brick masonry offers an economic advantage, using lesser number of bricks along with better thermal comfort. The plank and joist roofing system is a specialised technique having prefabricated elements, ensuring the quality and also cutting down the time spent. The use of steel and concrete is also less when compared to RCC slab construction, adding to the advantage at the economic level.

Mason Training Programme: Bringing Out the Best from the Masons
Ambuja Cement Foundation has taken its CSR to a different level. Not only are they ensuring permanent houses for the economically weaker people, but they have also ensured that proper knowledge gets imparted to the masons during the mason training programme. This ensures that important construction issues, which are sometimes ignored during construction, are passed on to the masons. This further ensures the best out of the masons and also better job prospects.

Potential Business Benefits
The scale and nature of the benefits of CSR for an organisation can vary depending on the nature of the enterprise, and are also difficult to quantify. However, most businesses may not be looking at short-run financial returns when developing their CSR strategy.

Consumers are becoming more aware of the environmental and social implications of their day-to-day consumer decisions and are beginning to make purchasing decisions related to their environmental and ethical concerns.

With the construction of the new neighborhood at Gaggar, Ambuja Cement is building up customer loyalty, which is very important in a time where companies strive for a unique selling proposition which can separate them from the competition in the minds of consumers. This construction in Punjab has ensured that Ambuja Cement is always welcome and has also earned them a comfortable expansion ground. q

Back to Contents