• Around 1,000 people tested by early April
• 300 underprivileged children provided with regular meals
• Dry food material supplied to tribal communities

During the nationwide 21-day lockdown in India which began in March, AkzoNobel India launched several initiatives to help communities cope with food and healthcare challenges caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Many of these are adaptations of existing projects launched as part of the company’s People. Planet. Paint. initiative – their focus was recently changed in response to the virus situation.

For example, in several villages near Bangalore, an existing e-health program which we helped to set up is now being used to provide initial screening for the coronavirus. Around 1,000 people had received symptomatic screening by early April.

We’ve also provided essential food items to 6,000 people who are mostly daily wage earners in Gurgaon, Gwalior and Navi Mumbai, including underprivileged children studying at AkzoNobel supported education centers.

Commenting on the company’s ongoing community efforts, Rajiv Rajgopal, Managing Director of AkzoNobel India, says: “We are actively continuing to look after the communities around the sites where we operate by facilitating their healthcare and food requirements in these difficult times. Many colleagues are also keen to volunteer for our community initiatives, so we are evaluating how best to engage them without putting them at any health risk.”