Rebuilding Chennai’s green cover

Last June, Chennai recorded a nine year high of 42 degree Celsius and most importantly this temperature was recorded at Nungambakkam, a well known residential area. This was just one highlight of a scorching summer that Chennai experienced last year. As we prepare to face yet another bout of solar excess, we have to address the increasing climate extremes and the need to have a robust strategy to revert to the green, comparatively colder summers. Surprise as it may be to many, Chennai was not always this hot and actually experienced monsoon, winters and even a good amount of sea breeze during the summers that made life much easier when the mercury rose. 

The connection between local climate patterns and forest cover has been very apparent and obvious but gets little attention due to the absence of a collective consciousness from the city. A study done by a group of scientists from US and Netherlands on Meso-scale climate change due to lowland deforestation in the maritime tropics summaries that sea breeze was considerably stronger in an island assumed to be completely covered with forest than when the vegetation has been transformed to grassland or worse, artificial constructions using concrete.

At Michelin, there is a strong sense of responsibility towards deforestation due to industrial development. The focus towards responsible growth and initiatives based on this focus results in careful audit of the environmental impact. At Thervoy, Kandigai, Michelin has started planting saplings at its industrial site. The saplings are planted inside the manufacturing facility as part of the groups ‘Green Factory’ concept. 1800 saplings have been planted inside the Industrial site till date. Also Michelin has pledged that the plant will not draw any water from the industrial zone’s water tables. Instead water will be taken from the Redhills reservoir, an artificial storage lake 20 kilometers from the site.

We understand the need to contribute to the Chennai’s green cover and more importantly the need to spread this awareness to other citizens. Only then, the collective consciousness can grow and along with it, Chennai’s natural umbrella against the tropical sun.

We have put simple things that you can do to add to the forest cover that can become a reality for the upcoming generation in Chennai. We welcome ideas and thoughts from you that can help this drive get stronger and look forward to seeing your emails at michelinindiaforum@gmail.com.

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Biogas: Replacing oil with renewable reliable clean energy

It is now a well-accepted truth that the energy produced by human activity is costly for people and the environment. Trying to correct its impact by finding renewable resources and clean energies is the backbone of current efforts for sustainable development. Yet, until now, renewable energies have often been perceived as expensive alternatives to fossil fuels such as oil or coal, which have proved to be efficient and comparatively low-cost.

This week we would like to share with you a project that Michelin India has set up to provide affordable and efficient renewable energies solutions to Indian villages. The company has started a Biogas Initiative in several villages in Tamil Nadu. The goal is to provide close to a hundred families with a reliable, affordable and environmentally friendly source of energy. The key to the venture’s success is its reliance on Biogas. The term Biogas encompasses any mixture of flammable gases (i.e. methane, carbon dioxide) derived from the degradation of organic matter, which can be used to produce light or heat. Simply put, bacteria digests organic matter (such as animal or human waste), producing gaseous fuel that can be used for a range of applications.

The technology has a long list of advantages – not the least of which is reliability, making it a terrific solution in places with erratic oil supplies – but the beauty of the project is that it uses small ‘bioreactors’ to deliver Biogas energy to families. Fuelled with enough cow and human waste, the reactors (ranging from two to three cubic meters in size) can provide heating and light for the whole family. The first biogas reactor has already been installed in the village of Peria Vannan Kuppam and ninety more will be built for as many families in other nearby villages.

Let’s Pool Our Efforts for Sustainable Mobility

Cities are often said to be shaped by their mass transit system. For anyone commuting in Chennai and experiencing increased traffic congestion this is a relevant issue. Years of urban planning experience have shown that a collaborative approach is the only way that can actually embed sustainable mobility into the bustling city.

Aside from the emergence of new technologies in transportation, fuel and urban design, the shaping of new business models and collaborative partnerships is also fuelling urban planning. A platform such as City Connect (a partnership between the Confederation of Indian Industry CII, Tamil Nadu and Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy (JCCD) created in 2007, which brings together industry, government and civil society stakeholders around urban India, has proven to be a crucial step towards an overarching approach to transport issues.

An example of this effort to pool various points of view and skills: Chennai City Connect, backed by Michelin India, has recently hired consulting firm Civitas to study the autorickshaw sector in Chennai. The report is now out and gives constructive insight into how to enhance sustainable mobility in Chennai.

Please share your thoughts on how to prevent lively Chennai from becoming a dead-end and turn it back into the crossroads it once was!

Carbon Footprint Study Draft Report: Renewable Energies a Top Priority for Tamil Nadu

Did you know that 75% of Tamil Nadu’s emissions stem from energy and power-related sources? This fact was revealed in the draft report of the Carbon Footprint Study by the Confederation of Indian Industry. The study, sponsored by Michelin India, is the first of its kind in Tamil Nadu. Its purpose is to help the State gain a greater insight into its carbon situation. Both total and per capita emissions have been calculated from data provided by 15 State departments.

Clearly, the outcome of the study points to an urgent need to adopt a renewable energy strategy to lower the overall carbon footprint of Tamil Nadu and bring it in line with the national commitment of reducing emissions intensity by 20 to 25% of 2005 levels by 2020.

The report lays down several recommendations including: adoption of voluntary renewable power obligation targets; creation of green funds; charge of a fuel tax on diesel and petrol to fund bio-fuel research, support technology absorption and public transportation system; adoption of green buildings in residential and commercial space.

Astonishingly, we also learn that a single tree can sequester 30 kg of carbon per year while the per capita carbon footprint stands at 1.59 tons. Afforestation would be the most obvious step, not to mention that it would entail so many other benefits…

Community initiative driving equal rights

Sometimes the little details make the biggest difference. In India, where equal rights have yet to mean equal opportunities, it is all in the details. For instance, there are far fewer women than men driving on the country’s roads. Yet driving is an incredibly powerful tool for independence; something NGOs have been quick to understand could serve many women.

Over the past years a number of initiatives have been rolled out to provide Indian women with easier access to cars and driving. Indeed, the sector is promising enough for companies like For-She to appear and grow throughout the country. The business model is built around providing women with access to jobs usually restricted to men, such as commercial driving or personal protection.

However, not all initiatives are for-profit; in Chennai alone, a number of small non-profit organizations such as the Association for Non-Traditional Employment (ANEW) or Human Trip have been offering women free driving lessons and the opportunity to become Auto-rickshaw drivers. Michelin India has joined the effort by offering free training at its site in Chennai. With four hours of classes a day, the program has already enrolled 14 soon-to-be female drivers. With so many ongoing initiatives, women drivers have hit the ground running and they’re going fast.

Eureka for super educational programs: Better learning through better teaching

India produces 3.7 million graduates annually. However, the country has yet to leverage the amazing possibilities of its intellectual treasure trove. One of the reasons stems from the fact that, although India’s economy is growing, its infrastructure still faces big challenges, particularly in education, thus creating an ever-widening gap between urban and rural areas, depriving poorer children of opportunities to learn and climb the social ladder.

But apprenticeship is no easy matter to solve. Thankfully, the NGO Association for India’s Development (AID), founded by Dr. Balaji Sampath, came up with a great idea. The NGO, in partnership with Eureka Child Foundation, established a fully scalable program called Eureka SuperKidz based on three core concepts: 1) Acting directly with children; 2) Active partnering with schools, institutions and civil society stakeholders; 3) Large-scale advocacy with communities, NGOs and Governments.

In Tamil Nadu, the NGO has had the opportunity to implement its program in over 1028 villages, reaching out to 10 additional villages, among which is Thervoy, in Thiruvallur District, with help from Michelin India. Through a very segmented set of lessons with clearly defined goals and methods, the program reached its 100% skills achievement goal for the enrolled children, ensuring that they had learnt and mastered essential core skills (reading, writing and arithmetic), which are essential to the pursuit of their studies. Thanks to AID and the Eureka Superkidz program, a whole new world of opportunities is now opening up to the children of Tamil Nadu.

Ability is Possibility: Disability awareness program with the support of Ability Foundation

Persons with disabilities have talents, just like everyone else. However, they need motivation to bring out their hidden talents. Motivation comes from possibility. Having the right opportunity at the right time is the core idea underlying the disability awareness program Michelin India organized with the support of the Ability Foundation, a national cross-disability organization based in Chennai. (Ability foundation link)

The one-day program was held on February 4, 2012 at Government middle school in Soolaimani village and drew 150 people with different disabilities. Participants and their families were given guidance and counseling for enhancing the self-esteem and vocational skills of the disabled.

Mr. Joseph Ravi, District Disability Rehabilitation Officer, and Dr. Krishna Chandra, Deputy Director of Employment, Vocational Rehabilitation for Handicapped, attended the camp and disseminated information on the state and central government schemes available to the disabled. Participants received advice on how to access benefits provided in different government schemes and on employment opportunities, by the Ability Foundation staff team.

“We chose the Ability Foundation as partner for the program because of our shared belief that empowerment is a direct result of awareness of your talents, your rights and your knowledge of opportunities available to you.” Inspired by Jayashree Raveendran, Founder and Managing Trustee of the Ability Foundation, Michelin India is committed to underscoring the positive side of employing people with a disability. “It is not pity. It is not charity. It is not CSR,” as Jayasree says. It makes business sense. On the one hand, there are qualified persons who need opportunities and on the other, there are employers who can reap the benefits of hiring innovative, determined and dedicated persons. The opportunity is there for the taking!

Welcome to Michelin India Sustainability Forum

Dear visitors,

Thank you for visiting us.
For us, setting up this blog has been an enriching experience. As a team of Michelin employees who were among the first hired for the company’s industrial project in Chennai, India, we were aware of the importance of sustainable development, but wondered what sustainability meant.

We quickly realised that for India, achieving a sustainable development included our direct contribution and that we (as individuals and employees of Michelin) could be the cause as well as the solution to sustainability for the project as well as the communities around us.

And what is the definition of sustainability? The one we have found most useful is the following. From the 1987 Report of the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development: “Sustainable development is about meeting the needs of society while living within the planet’s ecological limits and without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable development has three dimensions – economic, social and environmental – which are interdependent; for instance, the elimination of poverty requires the promotion of social justice and economic development and the protection of the environment”.

This definition has been included in the International Standard on Social Responsibility ISO 26000 (ISO definition)to highlight the relationship between social responsibility and sustainable development

So this blog, is one way for sharing with you the stretches of adventure and spans of rich experiences this expedition is certain to grow into. We hope you find this useful and interesting and invite you to also use this “eco-friendly” medium to think constructively, act consciously, seek openly and contribute significantly.

A journey that has commenced needs to find its destination. But our predicament, at this moment, is to define the endpoint that is ever evolving. Of one thing we are confident though, that there is a long way to go and this is just the Beginning! With this spirit of enthusiasm, we invite you to join our ‘Sustainability’ mission. We are always open to your ideas and inputs, so please email us at michelinindiaforum@gmail.com

Eye camps: our partnership with Sankara Nethralaya

National Highway 5 (NH5) takes a turn at Janapanchatram to converge into State Highway 51 (SH 51). Travel for 30 minutes and you enter into Sengarai. Tucked away from Chennai, this tiny village (1158 inhabitants) has little interesting information for a tourist or student of any subject or even an onlooker. But for us, this place is very special and shall remain so for a long time, for our learning curve in rural health interventions starts right here. It is not destiny that takes us here, but the findings of the conscientious “Household socio-economic survey” conducted by the Foundation For Rural Recovery And Development (Download Socio Economic survey) across 31 villages around Michelin India’s upcoming plant in SIPCOT’s Thervoy Kandigai Industrial Park, Tamil Nadu. The company initiates eye camps as a first step in the direction of addressing the healthcare requirements of the local communities and developing a long-term assistance plan.


Coming back to Sengarai, on 18 September, 2010, we conducted the first eye camp in association with SankaraNethrayalaya (Sankara Nethralaya link), a member of “Vision 2020: The Right to Sight India”(vision2020 website).The surprising turn out for the camp (over 200 people) was overwhelming, and it reiterated the figures in the ‘socio-economic survey’.

Since then, we have organized nine more eye camps. One each in Mukarambakkam, Palavakkam, KannanKottai, Latchivakkam, Sengarai, Thandalam and Kollanoor and 2 camps in Karadiputhur. Of the total 2291 people visiting these camps, 103 undergone cataract operations. An additional 700 people received spectacles and 51 have been identified for cataract operation.

It is truly inspiring to see people working together for the sake of a common project: the village people, volunteers from the neighborhood, Michelin colleagues and the Hospital team. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the highly esteemed doctors and medical staff who have been taking part in these initiatives. Their feedback is extremely important for us. Just to quote one of them, Mr. V. Sivakumar, Administrator, Jaslok Community Ophthalmic Centre, SankaraNethralaya (Sankara Nethralaya Homepage)said, “Efforts such as these from corporate bodies will go a long way in ensuring that health care services reach out to all sections of society”.