Here Chandrashekar Hariharan talks about the causes he works for.... 

We work in the areas of water and energy essentially to find ways to a improve our quality of life. Over ten years of the first part of our existence, we realized that we need to take this cumulative experience and traditional technology forward. For instance we draw the traditional knowledge of the Gurkhas in Garhwal and Kumaon areas of the Sub-Himalayan region and connect them to a accountable enterprise, pool all our resources rather than rely on funds and grants. This model had to be a profitable business which brings together technology, connecting to an enterprise which in turn leads to eco-conservation.

We then moved from a rural platform working on traditional knowledge in villages to a urban platform offering sensitive solutions for urban living. In September 1994, we chose to establish BCIL in Bangalore beginning with building homes to sustainable built environment systems. Homes are just one part of a sustainable ecosystem and we moved to other verticals such as non-synthetic farm supplements, right from traditional seed conservation to fertilizers and pesticides. We are working in three districts in Karnataka such a Chitradurga, Coorg and Hassan. We have small turnover of Rs.40-50 lakhs a year in this area.

Another area we work is afforestation but on a for-profit basis. We discovered two books by a Japanese farmer - ‘One Straw Revolution' and ‘Silent Spring'. These books talked about creating ‘Seedballs' which prevent the seed from moisture and heat and also help in dispersal. We chose that model and we went to various companies and asked them to adopt our idea at one rupee a plant. HR managers were convinced to use tree plantation as a gift for employee's birthdays. We took three sub-sets of that idea, one where you can use it as birthday gift, second as carbon-neutral practice to cut the carbon emission. Our company car runs 40,000 kms a year and we need to plant trees to absorb the carbon emission. 30-32 companies have come forward to take up this cause by purchasing around 100,000 seedballs and are supporting us to plant them. We got banks like HSBC and UTI Bank to come forward to sponsor around Rs.12-14 lakh a year, helping us to make a profit margin of 30%. The afforestation program is going on in the nearby Chintamani and Hoskote taluks, with the help of a network of NGOs in these areas. We don't fund these NGOs, rather more like a economic exchange for their social capital. We believe BCIL has to work for a cause, but with a profit motive.

He was speaking at a Panel Discussion organised by Businessgyan and Tasmac on the topic ‘Business FOR a Cause'.

Compiled by Levine Lawrence for Businessgyan

Issue BG77 Aug07

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