In an era where sustainability is not just a choice but a necessity, Tech Mahindra Ltd., a global IT giant, demonstrated commendable leadership in reducing its environmental footprint. Our collaboration with Tech Mahindra through the Green Tuesday Initiative has been a significant stride towards promoting sustainable food practices within corporate India. Here’s a look at our journey and milestones from 2021 to 2024.
Timeline of Tech Mahindra Ltd’s Green Tuesday Implementation milestones since the start of the collaboration in 2021.
2021: The Beginning
August 15, 2021 – Tech Mahindra Hitech City Hyderabad Adopts Green Tuesday Initiative
Our journey with Tech Mahindra commenced in April 2021, with extensive discussions and planning. By August, our collaborative efforts bore fruit. On August 15th, 2021, Mr. C P Gurnani, Former CEO and MD of Tech Mahindra, launched the Green Tuesday Initiative at their Hitech City campus in Hyderabad. This event marked the beginning of a significant shift towards including plant-based options on “Vegetarian Tuesdays” and reducing high carbon footprint food in their cafeterias by 20%.
Launch of Green Tuesday Initiative Booklet
During the accreditation event on 15th August 2021 at the Hitech City campus, the Green Tuesday Initiative Booklet was officially launched, outlining the program’s objectives and expected outcomes.
September 28, 2021 – Expansion to North Zone Campuses
Following the successful launch in Hyderabad, the Green Tuesday Initiative quickly expanded. On September 28, representatives from Tech Mahindra’s Noida, Gurgaon, Kolkata, and Chandigarh campuses gathered for a virtual accreditation ceremony, furthering the initiative’s reach. By the end of 2021, 13 campuses adopted this sustainable practice, significantly minimizing their food-related carbon footprint.
2022: Widening the Impact
Tech Mahindra Noida Campuses Join the Green Tuesday Initiative
In 2022, the Green Tuesday Initiative saw substantial growth. The 14th campus of Tech Mahindra in Noida adopted the Green Tuesday Initiative, showcasing its commitment to sustainability. The National Capital Region campuses were soon joined by the Pune and Bahadurpally campuses, collectively amplifying the impact of our efforts.
2023: Sustained Growth
Tech Mahindra Pune Sharda Campus Comes Onboard
The momentum continued into 2023 with the addition of the Tech Mahindra Pune Sharda Campus. This campus was pivotal in promoting plant-based food options among employees and reducing the overall consumption of high-carbon-footprint food by inviting the Green Tuesday Initiative to conduct awareness sessions to streamline the implementation process.
2024: Reaching New Heights
Commitment Renewed for the 4th Consequent Year and Tech Mahindra Pune Hingewadi Campus Becomes 20th Campus to Come Aboard!
Our collaboration reached new heights in 2024 after the tech giant renewed its commitment to implement the Green Tuesday Initiative for another year. The Tech Mahindra Pune Hingewadi Campus became the newest campus to adopt the initiative. Now, our joint efforts extend to 20 campuses across seven locations, significantly reducing the consumption of high-carbon-footprint food.
Food-Related Footprint Reduction:
- CO2 Reduction: 8,995,400 kg
- Nitrogen Reduction: 183,998 kg
- Water Reduction: 2,843,250,400 liters
*Calculated using the Harvard Foodprint Calculator
Events
Reducing the food-related carbon footprint is crucial, as food production directly impacts climate change through greenhouse gas emissions, affects public health, and endangers biodiversity. Producing high-carbon-footprint food is resource-intensive, consuming significant water and land resources while contributing to deforestation and habitat loss.
Awareness activities are essential as they help disseminate critical information about climate change, health, and sustainability, enabling individuals to take actionable steps toward a healthier lifestyle. By raising awareness, we empower employees to make informed decisions that create a positive impact on the environment and their well-being.
“Reducing our food-related carbon footprint is essential for mitigating climate change and preserving biodiversity. Studies show that high carbon footprint food production is responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, research from the University of Oxford highlights that shifting towards more sustainable diets can reduce food’s environmental impacts by up to 73%. By adopting sustainable food policies, we can take meaningful steps towards a healthier planet and population,” said Bhavya Vatrapu, Senior Campaign Manager, India, and Vietnam.
Tech Mahindra facilitated the following Green Tuesday Initiative events to raise awareness among employees:
“Food Planet Health” Workshop
We organized a virtual workshop titled “Food Planet Health” in September 2021 for facility teams from Hyderabad, Noida, Gurgaon, Kolkata, and Chandigarh. This workshop addressed the interconnected issues of food, planetary health, and human well-being, promoting discussions on sustainable food systems.
Health Talk Session
Dr. Zeeshan Ali from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine conducted a talk session on “Leading a Disease-Free, Healthy Life and Reversing Lifestyle Diseases through Diet” for employees at the Hitech City campus in March 2023, emphasizing the health benefits of plant-based diets.
Green Tuesday Implementation Discussions
In June 2023, we organized interaction sessions with the Pune Sharda campus facility head to streamline the Green Tuesday Implementation and address operational challenges.
Why Green Tuesday Initiative: A Refresher
We organize refresher sessions to ensure smooth implementation even with staff change. In July 2024, we organized a second refresher session with the center and facilities heads to update the new staff.
Speaking about the collaboration, C V N Varma, Vice President of Corporate Services at Tech Mahindra (2021) said:
“Tech Mahindra is always at the forefront of taking sustainability and environment-related initiatives. From hosting plastic-free events to organizing the most extensive plantation drives, Tech Mahindra has always encouraged and inspired us to make an impact and keep doing more. By implementing vegetarian Tuesdays, we are taking one step forward in reducing our food-related carbon footprint and creating awareness about the food choices of employees. Next year, we will work with Vegan Outreach to implement this initiative on more campuses in other cities. Our team is also working to create a soulful, delicious alternative menu on Tuesdays.”
Our collaboration with Tech Mahindra is a testament to what we can achieve when organizations commit to sustainable practices. The milestones from 2021 to 2024 have set a benchmark for other corporations to follow. As we continue to work towards a greener, more sustainable future, we look forward to achieving even greater milestones in the years to come.
Also read: Tech Mahindra Serves Plant-based Food on Tuesdays to Reduce Their Food-related Carbon Footprint
For more information about the Green Tuesday Initiative and how your organization can make a positive impact on sustainability, please contact Bhavya Vatrapu, Senior Campaign Manager, India and Vietnam.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +91 82910 43901
Join us in creating a sustainable future, one meal at a time.
About Green Tuesday Initiative:
Green Tuesday Initiative is a prolific campaign by Vegan Outreach (501c3 nonprofit in the USA) to help corporations and educational institutions reduce their environmental footprint by making small changes in the food they serve. Visit us at www.greentuesday.org
