BILT conferred the 2007 Intel – AIM Corporate Responsibility Award

BILT conferred the 2007 Intel – AIM Corporate Responsibility Award

* BILT initiatives in the area of education, community involvement & poverty alleviation recognized
* Awards organized by Intel Corporation and Asian Institute of Management
* BILT was declared winner amongst the 31 short listed companies across Asia

Mumbai, 29th September 2007: Ballarpur Industries Limited (BILT), India’s largest paper manufacturing company, was conferred the prestigious “Intel – AIM Corporate Responsibility Award” at a function held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The award was presented by Dr. Anjan Ghosh, Director Corporate Affairs, APAC, Intel Technology and Mr. Francis Estrada, Director, Asian Institute of Management to BILT representatives during the sixth annual Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility (AFCSR).

The Award function was organized by Intel Corporation and Asian Institute of Management, Manila, Philippines at the Asian Forum CSR Conference at Ho Chi Minh City. The Intel – AIM Corporate Responsibility Award honours specific companies, NGOs and organizations in Asia for excellent CSR projects in one or more of four areas, namely, education, community involvement, environment stewardship and poverty alleviation in support of the Millennium Development Goals (MGD’s). According to the organisers, the award is given to an organization that “best lives and breathes corporate social responsibility”. BILT was selected for this year’s award by a five-member committee.

Mr. R. R. Vederah, Managing Director, BILT, said, “This is a great achievement for BILT. We thank Intel Corporation and Asian Institute of Management for recognizing our efforts.”

Speaking at the occasion, Ms. Yashashree Gurjar, Chief General Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility for BILT said, “Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives are an integral part of BILT’s policies. We are committed to conducting our business in a responsible manner, so that it creates a sustained positive impact on society. We are honored to be recognized for our efforts in the areas of education, community involvement, environmental stewardship and poverty alleviation.”

According to Ms Gurjar, BILT has initiated a multi-pronged approach to CSR within the organization. Through this, all activities and initiatives are planned specific to the needs of the target stakeholders. The ultimate objective, she explains, is to see that each business decision takes into account its social impact, and accordingly plans an intervention to mitigate the impacts arising out of that decision. She further elaborates that through active partnerships with NGOs, BILT fulfills its social responsibility.

BILT’s CSR programmes are carried out at the following levels:

· Communities: Integrated rural and urban community development programmes with communities living in the periphery of its mills

· Employee Volunteer Programme: Employees are encouraged to volunteer time for social work

· Workplace: HIV/AIDS prevention programmes with employees, truckers and transporters

· Support to National Issues: Support to NGOs for universalizing primary education and reducing dropout rates among school children

In the past BILT has won several awards and accolades for its CSR initiatives. These include the national level TERI Award for CSR (2003-04), the national level Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) Award (2005-06), Business World FICCI-SEDF CSR Award (2005-06), Asian CSR Award (2005-06) and the Golden Peacock Global Award for Corporate Social Responsibility in “Emerging Economies 2007”.