CHENNAI: Kia India, one of the fastest-growing carmakers in India, has kickstarted on-ground implementation of its two national community initiatives – D.R.O.P. (Develop Responsible Outreach for Plastic), and Uphaar to create impact at grassroot levels. First announced at the Auto Expo 2023, the two initiatives are aligned with Kia’s global CSR vision of a “clean environment” and a “free and safe movement” for building a sustainable world. While D.R.O.P aims to address the alarming concern of plastic waste and restrict its spread across landfills and water bodies, Uphaar is a tree plantation program initiated to extend support to the marginalised agrarian community and combat climate change. The former project is active in 5 mega cities – Gurgaon, Mumbai, Bangalore, Vijayawada, and Vishakhapatnam, while the latter is operational in 15 states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Assam, Meghalaya, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Himachal Pradesh.
Speaking about the initiative, Mr. Tae-Jin Park, MD & CEO, Kia India, said, “Being a responsible business is a pre-requisite for building a long-term and sustainable business in India. Since our brand relaunch in 2021, our core philosophy is all about being a ‘Movement that Inspires’ and sustainability is a very important aspect in it. With these two-community initiatives, we are looking at inspiring multiple communities to contribute positively to the environment and are hoping to extend its reach and impact in coming years with the help of NGOs and our partners.”
