Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) is taking a multi-faceted, comprehensive approach to supporting India’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. After soliciting dozens of ideas from employees, the well-known CV manufacturer has rolled-out a multi-tiered strategy for its CSR initiatives aimed at helping the community through the crisis.
From monetary contributions to donations of meals and medical equipment, the Chennai-based producer of ‘BharatBenz’ vehicles has bent the might of its 4000+ employees towards the main problem facing the world today – COVID-19.
Mr. Satyakam Arya, Managing Director & CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, said: “DICV takes its responsibility to society seriously. Hence, we are considering every conceivable approach to offer our support in a timely manner. We depend on the community and the community can depend on us. Together, we can keep the world moving.”
So far, DICV has pledged large cash donations to the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund and the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund. The company has additionally donated high-tech critical care ventilators, bio-PPE kits, masks and hand sanitizer to local medical services, charities and administrative departments.
Aside from cash donations, DICV has also offered up its manpower and its facilities. For the last several weeks, DICV has been using its company canteen in the Oragadam plant to provide around 1000 meals a day to local citizens and stranded drivers in need. Its bus division lent 16 buses to support foreign nationals in reaching the airport, allowing them to safely take flights back to their respective countries. Every day, the company posts security personnel at local ATMs to remind people to respect social distancing.
The company even stands ready to convert buildings at its Oragadam plant to treatment wards in the case of a major outbreak, and to open the doors to its state of the art in-house medical center.
“We care about the community because they are our employees, our suppliers, our customers and our families. We will do everything we can to support them in this time of need because ‘They’ are ‘Us’,” concluded Mr. Arya.