It would take a documentary lasting several hours to tell the story of the other BKT, not the company which speaks to the business community, but the one which focusses on common people, in particular on those who struggle in their everyday lives.
In this documentary, we will be able to see the children who, thanks to BKT, have a full meal guaranteed every day and can go to school; or we can get to know at first hand those who work to realize the projects of the BKT Foundation. We will travel from South Africa to India, to then pass through the Amazonian rainforest and return to Italy, because solidarity has no boundaries.
BKT is collecting all these experiences in the episodes being broadcast on its digital TV, the BKT Network. In the first episode the program talks above all of social commitment, while future episodes will address the initiatives undertaken by BKT during the pandemic and its safeguarding of the environment.
Special guests of the first edition: Vijaylaxmi Poddar, Chairperson of the BKT Foundation, Rajiv Poddar, Joint Managing Director of BKT and Gabriella Usiello, Marketing & Communication Manager at BKT Europe.
Ms Poddar, today numerous companies are involved in CSR projects; in this context, BKT has created the BKT Foundation. Could you tell us something about the Foundation?The BKT Foundation was created around ten years ago with the goal of helping children. We are conscious of the social imbalances which affect the weakest, those without protection and the most vulnerable. This is the reason why most of our projects directly support children or their families.Children are our resource, they need our special protection and they all deserve to be free, to have a decent life and a dignified future. This whole concept can be summarized in the Foundation's motto "We Care", which is completely in line also with BKT's corporate philosophy.
“We Care”, just two words, but they offer a very strong and important message. Gabriella, CSR projects are an essential part of BKT's philosophy, isn't that the case?
Yes, it is. As a multinational we consider that we have an enormous responsibility and we must be an example. And we want to play an active role by contributing as much as possible.
Social responsibility has always been at the center of our corporate vision. Our business model can also be defined as a social model because BKT is really involved in social activities, which are one of our top priorities. BKT takes care of people, their wellbeing and the environment they live in. The BKT Foundation was created with this hope of going beyond the business. “We Care" is a motto which is fully in line with BKT's corporate philosophy.
Two very profound and meaningful words. Rajiv, I know that the Foundation supports projects for health and education, can you give us more detail about this?
We have launched numerous initiatives. Not only do we support over 800 young girls by providing them with free schooling in the State of Rajasthan, close to the BKT factories in Bhiwadi and Chopanki, but we also support post-degree studies for outstanding college and university students, both in India and abroad. Besides this, in collaboration with the Akshaya Patra Foundation, for many years we have supported an important program for school canteens, which provides meals to over 1.4 million children in 10,000 schools located in ten regions, to combat hunger and malnutrition.
Are some of your projects realized in collaboration with the Indian Government?
That's right. Again in collaboration with the Akshaya Patra Foundation, we supported a project which enabled the construction of a kitchen for the community canteen in the city of Bhuj, which is home to the latest BKT factory.The new kitchen for the community canteen, which was officially opened in January 2019, is part of the local government's nutrition programs. The canteen can provide meals to 50 thousand children from local schools.The goal is to encourage disadvantaged families to send their children to school, with the concrete support of a free meal. The project combines and embodies two essential pillars for the future: diet and education.
BKT's commitment is not limited to India, but goes beyond frontiers and extends to all the continents. Gabriella, can you tell us something about BKT's international initiatives?
At international level we have supported and organized numerous activities for children and families. For example, our Christmas initiative last year, “Donate a Moment”, arose from the idea that time is the most valuable present that we can share. We say that the perfect gift is sharing moments of love.With this initiative we supported two NGOs: the first in France, Play International. We collected and donated 12 thousand euro involving people through our campaign: for every photo shared with the hashtag “donate a moment”, we donated 1 euro. The second NGO is here in Italy, Dynamo Camp. We collected the same amount for them too. We also support numerous similar initiatives in the world of sport.
BKT and sport are an inseparable couple. The company and the soccer freestyler Iya Traoré have a collaboration which goes well beyond the athlete's presence at trade fairs and BKT's main corporate events worldwide. Iya, originally from Guinea, supports his country with his foundation, helping young people aged 8 to 28 through sporting and educational programs. Gabriella, what is BKT's role in all this?
BKT plays an active role in the project by supplying the IYA Foundation school with the material needed for the students. The company also supports some small hospitals through the supply of medical instrumentation and solar panels to produce the electricity needed for hospital services.
You have also organized fund-raising activities with a great soccer star, Paolo Rossi, the unforgettable World champion in 1982 – who donated three autographed shirts with the number 20, which he wore during the 1982 World Cup.
In 2018 BKT organized a gala dinner with Paolo Rossi as guest star and on that occasion he auctioned three of his Italian shirts. In total over 15 thousand euro was collected and donated to the non-profit association Parada Italia, which offers help to children who live on the streets of Bucharest in very difficult circumstances.All the guests present competed in an incredible and emotional auction, making ever higher bids right to the end. In this way a total of 7,700 euro was collected. BKT then decided to double the amount in order to fully support the initiatives of Parada Italia.
Therefore, there is a strong sense of responsibility which BKT feels towards the community. Not only an ethical choice, but a deeply held belief that an acknowledged brand can (and must) have a positive influence on the public, thus driving others to follow its example: “We care” more than a philosophy is a way of life, because it indicates an attitude which at the same time involves the hearts, minds and hands of those who choose to adopt it (Mrs Vijaylaxmi Poddar, Chairperson of the BKT Foundation).
Here is the original episode in full:
www.bkt-network.com/we-care-corporate-social-responsibility
