Page 44 - Social Impact

IIMB not only provides nutritious food but also takes care of The campus is a safe haven for birds – including some rare TACKLING THE PANDEMIC THOUGHT LEADERSHIP ARTICLES BY FACULTY
the health of staff, students and faculty through yoga, medita- species as documented by bird watchers in the city, reptiles
tion, fitness and health camps and classes. Every member of the and squirrels. The wide variety of avian species on campus IIMB’s efforts at recovering from the crisis, finding sustainable The institute’s faculty made a significant contribution towards
IIMB community is involved in reducing waste, avoiding use include spotted owlets, white-cheeked barbet, flycatchers, barn solutions, to upskill, reskill, collaborate and innovate, continues helping the institute stay on top, despite the pandemic. They au-
of plastic, tree planting, use of green vehicles and eco-friendly owl, purple sunbird, and much, much more. Around 25 kinds so that we emerge better and stronger from this challenge. thored thought leadership articles on dealing with the pandem-
housekeeping and pest control products. IIMB is on the path to of fruit trees have been planted on campus to meet the food ic, which were featured in leading publications including The
become a wholly sustainable B-school. requirement of the birds. A peahen is the latest addition to the IIMB has been quick to respond to the various challenges Economic Times, Forbes India, Mint, Deccan Herald, ET Insights,
rich diversity of birds on campus. brought about by the pandemic and the lockdown. Owing to The Quint, and more.
The institute’s buildings integrate nature with education; the the school’s high quality digital learning initiative IIMBx and its
abundant trees and flora serve as an oasis of greenery and Measures taken to enhance biodiversity: Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), there was quick and
natural diversity in the concrete jungle. The IIMB campus has 1. A unique system of planting, called the Miyawaki system, seamless transition of delivery of education through the digital GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
close to 30,000 trees, it is perhaps the only patch of green cover has been take up wherein mixed species of forest saplings are mode. A lot of other activities like registration, onboarding, in-
in south Bangalore with significant biodiversity. An eco-friend- planted at 2’*2’ spacing. The plants grow 10 times faster and 30 auguration and orientation of new batches, placements; events The institute handed over medical supplies and equipment
ly campus, IIMB’s policies like roof-top solar panels, rainwater times denser to give a look of an established forest. like Convocation, Foundation Day, workshops, conferences, totalling INR 20 lakh, as part of its CSR activity, to the Kodi-
harvesting, using solar power, recharging wells, recycling poli- 2. Honeybees are being reared on a part of the campus to train etc., were conducted online. IIMB made the best use of technol- chikkanahalli Primary Health Centre, on January 20, 2022, to
cies, waste composting, LED lighting and motor sensors across the gardeners to take up beekeeping as a livelihood in their ogy to stay connected, productive and socially responsible, and help the PHC in upgrading its current medical infrastructure.
campus, etc. help the students understand how their decisions villages. there was no major disruption in academics, extra-curricular The medical team from Kodichikkanahalli PHC has also been
and actions affect the environment, and enable them to make 3. Fish have been introduced in lotus ponds to control algae and other activities. IIMB held frequent testing for COVID-19 very proactive throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and has
informed decisions as managers of the future. and mosquito larvae. and regular vaccination camps. Various other measures have helped the institute by conducting over 4,000 RT-PCR tests and
also been adopted to safeguard the health and safety of all holding a vaccination camp.
the stakeholders. Strict health protocol has been followed on
‘ZERO WASTE’ PLEDGE GLOBAL RECOGNITION campus. In 2021, the IIMB community supported the Ketto campaign to
raise funds for St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences.
On June 15, 2019, IIMB students took the ‘Zero Waste’ The campus of IIM Bangalore, which continues to inspire all, The campaign, run by faculty members’ families, had reached
pledge. The student mess and the department canteen have was included in ‘The 25 Most Significant Works of Post-War SUSTAINABILITY TASK FORCE out to the transgender community in Bengaluru. There was
eye-catching slogans, in multiple languages, that encourage Architecture’, according to The New York Times Style Magazine. fundraising on campus to provide dry ration to those in need
patrons to take only as much as they can eat, and a large display All credit goes to the architect of the iconic and award-winning In its quest for continued and high-level sustainable practices, and cooked meals to relatives of patients in government hos-
board indicating the amount of daily food waste and how campus - Pritzker Laureate Dr. Balkrishna Doshi. Recipient of a Sustainability Task Force has been set up by IIMB, which is pitals. Advisory support was offered to Atria Foundation and
many mouths it could have fed, in a bid to inculcate sensible the Padma Bhushan (2020) and Padma Shri (1976) from the chaired by Prof. Haritha Saranga, IIMB Chair of Excellence several NGOs. A few faculty members were part of a group that
consumption. We continue to keep the pledge. Government of India among various other awards, Dr. Doshi and faculty in the Production & Operations Management area. went out and distributed dry ration to ensure that disadvan-
received the Royal Gold Medal for Architecture 2022, from Among its other initiatives, the Sustainability Task Force is taged people did not go hungry, and did some serious coordi-
the Government of United Kingdom. The prestigious medal is also looking at enhancing the capacity of the solar power and nation too to get people fed. The institute supported around
BIODIVERSITY approved personally by UK’s Queen Elizabeth and is given in RWH plants on campus. The task force is currently engaged 65 security guards'/horticulture workers’ families, SAAHAS
recognition of a lifetime’s work that have a significant influence in sensitizing people and infusing a sense of urgency about workers, dhobi, etc. with funds donated by faculty members.
For IIMB, biodiversity is of utmost value and in sync with its vi- on the advancement of architecture. The first Indian to receive conservation.
sion of providing the students with the environment conducive the Pritzker Architecture Prize, one of the most prestigious IIMB faculty provided suggestions on how best to manage the
to learning and holistic development. The untiring efforts of the honours in architecture and equivalent to the Nobel prize, Dr. lockdown to Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, Chairperson, Board of
dedicated horticulture team, supported by other stakeholders, Doshi is also a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects PODCAST SERIES Governors, IIMB, who was advising the Karnataka government
has been instrumental in IIMB achieving this objective. Infact, and Fellow of the Indian Institute of Architects. during the lockdown. Faculty researched and analyzed relevant
the IIMB campus itself is no stranger to fame – the institute has The Communications Office and the Student Media Cell of data/information to come up with recommendations for the
won the ‘Best Ornamental Garden’, ‘Outstanding Garden’ and IIM Bangalore launched the IIMB Podcast Series on July 12, Karnataka COVID-19 pandemic management committee.
other awards from the Mysore Horticulture Society, Lalbagh, APPRECIATION FROM THE KARNATAKA 2020. The series aims to serve as a platform to discuss the latest
year after year. It has won several other awards for its horticul- GOVERNMENT business, economic, management and social issues that matter. Start-ups from NSRCEL have responded proactively to tackle
ture initiatives, documentation of flora and fauna, readiness The series features IIM Bangalore fraternity, including but not the challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic using their
to adopt and nurture translocated trees, sustainable practices, IIMB has received an Appreciation Certificate from the limited to the faculty members, alumni and students, who current resources, technology and expertise. All the stakehold-
clean energy use, and use of recycled water for all gardening State Government, acknowledging the adoption of environ- provide their insights and perspectives on the topics and issues ers, in their individual capacities or as part of the institute, have
purposes. ment-friendly initiatives and sustainable practices on campus. that surround us. lent a hand to the less advantaged.

It is a matter of pride that more than 50 well established trees, IIMB continues to hold various events to highlight the signif-
namely, Millingtonia hortensis, mahogany, Cassia siamea, icance of sustainable practices for the good of mankind. The
gulmohar, Tabeubia rosea, peltophorum, etc., which were in the Centre for Management Communication invited media persons
middle of the new hostel construction site, were successfully to the first-in-series initiative, ‘Climate and Communication:
transplanted to save their life, thus protecting the environment Building Skills and Knowledge for Effective Engagement
on campus. The trees have attained their original growth within between the Media, Opinion Leaders and Communities’, on
two years of transplanting after recovering from the transplant- the occasion of World Environmental Day, on campus. The
ing shock. The tree transplanting work is being executed by the Climate and Communication Project was a one-day intensive
in-house staff of IIMB. programme that brought together media persons for informed
and effective engagement with climate change issues in their
Earlier, in 2018, 30 trees were transplanted which were near the professional lives. Journalists from leading newspapers and
western compound wall to make way for the Bangalore Metro magazines, on the environment beat, shared their experiences
Rail project. This transplanting work was done with the help of of reporting on issues ranging from deforestation, mining,
an external consultant and the trees are thriving. drought, famine and the kind of priority accorded to such
issues by bureaucrats and governments.

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