EarthCare Award by Times of India & JSW Foundation
Godrej & Boyce Mfg Co Ltd
Godrej Mangroves: Symbiosis of Industry & Nature since Seven Decades
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Aerial View of Godrej Mangroves
Godrej & Boyce Mfg Co Ltd
Godrej has protected large mangrove patch at Thane Creek. The forest harbor 16 mangrove, 209 bird, 82 butterfly, 82 spider, 75 insect, 22 fish, 13 crab, 7 prawn, 6 mammal species. it is managed by Wetland Management Department with strategy of Research, Conservation, Awareness. We conducted research on Biodiversity Index, Carbon sequestration, Camera trap of Jackals, Butterfly & Spider diversity of Godrej mangroves. Our conservation includes protection, development of theme gardens (medicinal, butterfly, palm), marine aquarium, mangrove nursery, maintenance of nature trails and rescue of wildlife in distress etc. Awareness includes nature trails, webinars, presentations in conferences, articles in magazines newspapers, Mangroves mobile app, storybook, mangrove information centre, mangrove website. We are audited every year for ISO 14001. The initiative contributes to SDG 3, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17.
Last update: 06 Feb 2023
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Context
Challenges addressed
Impact of air, water, solid waste pollution on mangroves,
Tree cutting, poaching & encroachment,
Sedimentation, siltation of Thane creek
Lack of Godrej control on external stakeholders of Mumbai
Location
Vikhroli East, Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban, Maharashtra, India
South Asia
Process
Summary of the process
The Wetland Management Department effectively uses building blocks with guidance from Planning & Development Team and with assistance from other departments such as environmental engineering, horticulture & construction teams to plan and implement and monitor scientific mangrove management. All initiatives & outputs are reviewed every year by Godrej Management Committee for upgradation of building blocks as required
Building Blocks
Appropriate Governance
Godrej has dedicated Wetland Management (WMS) Department with skilled professionals to manage mangroves. WMS Dept supported by Horticulture Department for plantation, Construction Department for infrastructure management, Planning & Development Department for initiatives planning monitoring. WMS initiatives are monitored on weekly basis and presented to Godrej Management Committee every year. Department targets are linked to Godrej's Good & Green sustainability strategy targets to ensure systemic approach to mangrove management
Enabling factors
Internal management & technical capacity of Godrej & Boyce, Commitment of Senior Management to mangrove conservation, Cascading of targets at all levels & their review
Lesson learned
Formation of dedicated department with human, infrastructure, financial resources is important
Application of management principles & processes helps in continual improvement
Appropriate Infrastructure
Godrej has maintained access roads, nature trails, theme gardens, marine aquarium, watch tower, mangrove information centre and other infrastructure for mangrove research, conservation & awareness. Additionally Godrej has installed sewage & effluent treatment plant for stringent water pollution control. Godrej has initiated integrated waste management system to ensure zero waste dumping in mangroves.
Enabling factors
Dedicated Environmental Engineering Services department with skilled professionals & adequate infrastructure to prevent pollution, 6 ETP-STP to treat & recycle wastewater, SWM facility to prevent garbage dumping, Security to stop encroachment % destruction
Lesson learned
Identify indirect adverse factors that can affect mangrove ecosystem and provide adequate infrastructure to prevent and mitigate risks. Keep infra management with one dept to coordinate diverse management activities
Appropriate Strategy
Godrej Group has Good & Green strategy that dictates mangrove management. Godrej mangrove management is done by three pronged scientific strategy of Research, Conservation & Awareness. Output of each activity is input for other activity. For example insights from biodiversity research help to conserve biodiversity. Conserved biodiversity is used for public awareness through nature trails and other awareness media. Biodiversity observations of nature trails are recorded in research documents closing the loop.
Enabling factors
Skilled professionals, adequate infrastructure, organizational commitment, partnerships with education & research institutes, commissioning of special research projects to external experts
Lesson learned
Research, Conservation and Awareness are cyclic and linked to each other to manage local biodiversity.
Impacts
Our ecosystem services impact includes prevention of east coastline erosion, carbon sequestration of 11 lakh ton carbon & recurring sequestration of 60,000 tons carbon every year, providing livelihood to fisherfolk, habitat to the wildlife, mitigating GHG emission from two garbage dumping grounds of the Government.
Awareness: Mangroves mobile app downloaded by 116 countries, awareness in 67000 people in 5 yrs, Godrej website used by 320000 users from 215 counties, participation in 22 conferences, release of two chapters on Godrej case study in book by Springer Publications
Conservation: Rescue of 200 animals in 5 years, mangrove plantation in 200 hectares area in Gujarat, addition of species in Medicinal, Butterfly & Palm gardens, zero incidents mangrove destruction, donation of mangrove saplings to Municipal Corporations, first mangrove plantation in Maharashtra
Research: Camera trap on Golden Jackals, Survey of spider diversity, ecosystem assessment of Kasadi creek, participation in HSBC Mumbai Race, Documentation of 75 insect species.
We won 3 national awards. Also Godrej mangroves case study has been recently published in UNDP's Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECM) in June'21
Beneficiaries
56000 awareness participants.320000 website users of 215 countries.106 app user nations.Breeding for fish prawn.carbon sequestration, temperature, flood control. 40000 employee recreation. Support to fisherfolk livelihood
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 3 – Good health and well-being
SDG 9 – Industry, innovation and infrastructure
SDG 11 – Sustainable cities and communities
SDG 13 – Climate action
SDG 14 – Life below water
SDG 15 – Life on land
Story
Godrej mangrove conservation has become leading case study of forest conservation by an Indian industry for seven decades. It is included in India Business & Biodiversity Initiative for international presentations. Godrej has been awarded National Biodiversity Award by UNDP & MoEF&CC of Government of India and Earth Care Award by Times of India & JSW Foundation for exemplary biodiversity conservation. We are ISO 14001 certified for 15 years demonstrating continual improvement. In 2013, Prince Charles visited & appreciated Godrej mangroves.
