Sustainability Report 2011

ITC endeavours to address social and environmental challenges through a set of strategic initiatives to create sustainable sources of livelihood for the two sets of stakeholders we engage with

	The rural communities in ITC's Agri Business areas: The approach is to strengthen the agricultural production base of rural households through conservation, re-building and nurturing natural resources, thus enabling the emergence of diversified and sustainable farming systems, and hence sustainable livelihoods. These sets of measures also prove to be an effective climate change adaptation strategy. This is sought to be achieved through an integrated approach that includes the development of wastelands, watersheds, agriculture and animal husbandry.
	The communities in our Factory catchments: The initiative aims to create market-linked opportunities for members of poor households through enterprise development and augment social capital through skills like training, education and improved health. Together, all these interventions help them compete more effectively in the labour/employment market. This is being achieved through the promotion of gender-centric economic empowerment programmes for women, enhancing the quality of primary education, skills training and improving health and sanitation conditions.

Coverage

	2010-11
Projects (No)	76
States (No)	12
Districts (No)	51
Villages (No)	5,495
Beneficiaries (Hh-lakhs)	3.04
Beneficiaries (Persons-lakhs)	16.70

The total number of projects implemented during 2010-11 was 76, up from 66 during 2009-10. These projects are spread across 51 districts of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Together these programmes reach out to more than 3 lakh households and more than 16 lakh individuals who are directly impacted by the various programmes spread over 5,495 villages.

The interventions, with the overall objective of creating sustainable livelihoods for the rural communities, involves strengthening rural livelihoods and building skills and social infrastructure.