Innovation

One of the units of Merino was established in Hapur, a district in Uttar Pradesh. Merino employees could not bear the indifference of people towards girls and women in Hapur. Hence, they decided to take initiatives to empower them. To increase the self-reliance of children (predominantly female children) and women, Merino took steps to empower them by providing quality education and skill development.

The widespread prevalence of Tuberculosis in the town was also a daunting burden on health conditions, especially amongst the poor. Merino supports a variety of efforts to eradicate another major problem, Tuberculosis, and to promote holistic well-being.

Inspiration

Mr Prakash Lohia (Managing Director) is an ardent follower of Swami Vivekananda and hence he is the inspiration behind the philanthropic activities Merino Industries Limited undertakes. Swami Ji said,“I consider that the great national sin is in the neglect of masses, and that is one of the causes of our downfall. No amount of politics would be of any avail until the masses in India are once more well educated, well fed, and well cared for. They pay for our education, they build out temples, but in return they get our kicks. They are practically our slaves. If we want to regenerate India, we must work for them.” As far as education is concerned they seek to fulfill this thought--“We want education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded, and by which one can stand on one’s own feet.”

Overall impact

The feeling of being able to grant someone the privilege to hold their head high and be an independent part of society is unmatchable. Merino believes in nurturing the youth by providing them quality education and also safeguarding interests of women and making them independent. Merino is also a part of many healthcare and well-being programs. They have spent a hefty sum of 17 crore in 2016-17 on activities related to the development of human capital and holistic well-being of human beings.

Business benefit

Merino believes that employees feel an inherent sense of satisfaction when they give something back to the society. It boosts their morale and increases their sense of belonging towards the company and the society. Merino has observed the indirect impact of improving the productivity of their facilities.

Social and environmental benefit

Merino focuses their support of time and money into two areas:

• Education and Empowerment Programs (e.g., funded a primary school for predominantly low-income female students, provides mid-day meals for students, “learn to earn” women empowerment courses)
• Healthcare & Holistic Living Programs (e.g., free health check-ups, improved sanitation facilities, yoga camps)

They report on the impacts of these projects in the CSR portion of their annual report.

Interview

A K Parui, Chief Financial Officer