NOIDA, India 27th September 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 HCL Foundation’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 mangrove 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.