Close to 4,900+ employees of BNY Mellon in India across Chennai and Pune have participated in a day of giving that resulted in 23,000 hours volunteered to benefit 20 regional charities. The inaugural “Connecting with the Community” philanthropic volunteering and team bonding campaign featured 28 unique events that focused on child education, environmental sustainability, and rural development.
“We are actively involved in giving back and creating positive impact in the communities where we live and work,” said Sudish Panicker, Managing Director and Head of BNY Mellon Operations, India. “The first-of-its-kind ‘Connecting with the Community’ campaign is the latest example of thousands of our employees joining forces on a single day, to support our deeply valued and important community partners.”
BNY Mellon hosts several opportunities each year for employees globally to give back to their communities through individual donations, non-profit board service, and team-oriented volunteering and fundraising. As a result of the “Connecting with Community” day of giving event, BNY Mellon employees helped –
· Plant 2,156 trees in villages near Chennai and Pune
· Create 120 water absorbing trenches in Chennai and Pune to store 6 million liters of water
· Plant 100 vegetable garden plants (including weeding and pruning) at orphanages and schools
· Deepen two reservoirs to hold 4.5 million liters of water that will benefit 23 acres of land
· Construct 3,300 bags out of recycled newspaper to benefit many non-government organizations
· Cover 1,680 books and stamp 4,020 books to be made available for underprivileged children
· Host various sports and “Fun with Food” special activities for 500 mentally challenged children
· Organize carnivals for 840 visually challenged and hearing impaired children at three schools
· Paint 15 murals at orphanages that resulted in 950 square feet of inspirational wall art
· Clean beaches, temples, and schools that resulted in several truckloads of waste, including – 1,100 water bottles, 308 sacks of plastic waste, and 231 sacks of bio-degradable waste
Speaking on the occasion, Nitin Chandel, Managing Director and Head of BNY Mellon Technology, India added, “I am proud of our employees who made the ‘Connecting with the Community’ day of giving a tremendous success. It was heart-warming to see our employees come together to serve our communities and help the underprivileged- and I look forward to exceeding all expectations again next year.”
The National Agro Foundation (an organization that focuses on sustainable agricultural development) was one of several charities that participated in the day of giving.
Dr. Ramasubramanian, Executive Director, National Agro Foundation added, “BNY Mellon has been our partner for the last six years and their efforts ensure the maintenance and sustainability of our agricultural (farm and non-farm) land.”
