How Dell India is achieving much more than mere business accomplishments .
Dell is the world leader in information technology and computers. As a global leader in the world of computers and associated peripheral technology, Dell is synonymous with big numbers, successful global sales and increasing profitability.
While Dell has carved its niche in the world of business and is a definite world leader, what remains hidden from the public limelight is how this US technology bigwig is doing its bit to ensure corporate social responsibility. CSR is not just an ignored area of exercise for the company, but an important and significant part of its overall business plans.
Dell and its 2020 goals
While most business entities have plans for their financial growth alone, Dell Corporation is one of the few companies that have a long-term CSR plan in place. Named as the Dell 2020 Legacy of Good Plan, the company has in place 21 unique goals supporting environmental causes, community development, offering social sustainability, disaster relief along with diversity and inclusion.
Pathway to Dell 2020 plan
Ever since its existence in India, the company has taken its CSR role with adequate measure and responsibility. According to Trisa Thompson, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Dell, “Dell has made great progress across its global business ecosystem in its efforts to use the technology we produce for good. We’re committed to this ongoing work and share our results to both create and inspire positive change in business practices.”
As part of its India programs under the Dell 2020 plan Dell India has so far clocked in a total of over 1,11,644 hours towards volunteerism across 1,961 organizations and 2,164 events predominantly in the area of engaging with schools for transformational change. The company has been one of the first to eliminated over 17 million paper drinking cups as part of the mega-recycling initiative aimed at reducing the amount of waste generated. Dell was also at the forefront when it came to disaster relief during flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir donating over $ 2,
50,000 for the cause.
Whenever there is call from any governmental or nongovernmental organizations, Dell is always there to promote and offer sustained help with its strong workforce. For example the employees of the Dell manufacturing unit at Sriperumbudur, Chennai, in partnership with Learning Links Foundation (LLF), have undertaken cleanliness drives by adopting neighboring colonies just as the Prime Minister initiated the flagship governmental program of ‘Swach Bharat Abhiyan’.
Dell India has been instrumental in organizing Chiguru 2014, a community engagement program consisting 20 cultural activities for 84 schools, 9000+ servings, with the participation of 2600 students; and individual student outreach programs in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai.
Dell India with its partnership with Learning Links Foundation has helped its SCIMA Digital Literacy Enhancement and Explore@myworld programs reach nine schools in five cities. This ensures quality and affordable education anytime, anyplace. Dell India has sponsored over 200 students from rural Bangalore, through Sikshana NGO as part of the “Day of the Girl” celebrations (observed by the UN) by supporting education for the girl child.
Well devised environmental programs: Dell India has been proactive in encouraging its workforce to bring reusable cups from home to use during the day resulting in the elimination of over 17 million cups at all of the region’s facilities.Dell has been part of various environmental friendly programs initiated by various state governments including the central government’s green India mission.
Proactive measures under the Go green initiative: Dell’s several environment- friendly elements, ranging from the construction material used to the overall design of the building. It is no surprise that Dell’s Coimbatore facility has been awarded LEED certification by the India Green Building Council. Taking the green India certification forward, Dell also recently opened a large, leased office building in Noida that is equipped to meet the LEED Gold standard for Commercial Interiors.
As part of its innovative design and programs to help the environmental clause, the company has suggested the use of informal sector recycling model to India’s Ministry of Environment and
Dedicated wing focusing on women empowerment: Dell has collaborated with Biz Divas Foundation, a national network of professional women. The duo together hosted “Women on Boards” which was a collaborative symposium to address the importance of women in all areas of life without any gender bias.Dell itself offers jobs and work opportunity to both males and females without any discrimination on the basis of gender and promotes gender equality as its prime focus in developing nations. Dell is the company behind the “Men Who Get It: Engaging Men in Gender Initiatives” which is a well known panel discussion to explore the challenges and rewards of engaging men in gender initiatives.
An overview of Dell’s global CSR initiatives: Here are some highlights of various global initiatives taken by Dell over the years which make the company walk towards its 2020 goals with hope and
aplomb.
- Dell shipped the first UL Environment- certified closed-loop PC in 2015 and by the end of FY15, Dell was shipping globally 16 displays and three desktop systems that contained closed-loop
recycled plastics, contributing to the 21.9 million pounds of recycled plastics used in its products since FY14.
- Dell has been the first technology company to market with packaging created from captured greenhouse gases, wheat straw, mushroom and bamboo. Wheat straw packaging is 100 percent recyclable, uses 40 percent less energy and 90 percent less water in manufacturing than traditional cardboard. Dell increased its usage of wheat straw-based packaging 8-fold over FY14.
- Dell ensures 100 percent of its tablet shipments and more than 90 percent of notebook shipments arrive in packaging that is 100 percent recyclable or compostable. The company goal is to achieve waste-free packaging by 2020.
- Dell built on its four-year partnership with Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), funding additional research and advanced High-Performance Computing (HPC) for children cancer care research.
- Dell not only sells new hardware but has recovered 1.42 billion pounds of used electronics; 172.6 million pounds in FY15. The company now is 71.4 percent of the way to its ambitious 2 billion pounds 2020 goal.
- 65 Youth Learning partners across 14 countries with grant funding, new technology and team member expertise empowering the financially challenged.
- Dell has reduced the energy intensity of its entire product portfolio by 30.1 percent. Collectively, this will help customers spend $450 million less on electricity.
The road for the future: Dell India is clear on where it wants to go in terms of what the company plans to achieve as far as its social obligations are concerned. According to Rajeev Kapoor, the Executive Director, Global Financial Services and India Champion for Dell Giving, “At Dell, we believe that technology should be about enabling human potential and making lasting contributions to the planet and society. In India, we have made significant progress towards achieving the social and environmental goals as prescribed in our 2020 Legacy of Good plan; there is more to be achieved in the near future”
Dell has shown the way how successful corporations can do their bit for the environment and society to make the world we all live in a better place for our future generations. Hopefully with Dell showing the way other companies are likely to join in empowering lives of the needy, helping environmental changes leading to a positive sentiment in the society and world at large.