Biodiversity Conservation Action by Corporate Houses: A Study of Tata and Godrej Group in India

This paper introduces the thinking and ethos that goes into a proactive environment and nature conservation actions by the houses of Tata and Godrej. These two industrial giants were initiated in the early twentieth century and had a strong history of conservation of nature and natural resources. Their environmental conservation actions were linked to large charitable trusts as well as their individual companies. This has continued throughout the years and percolated into the conservation actions by past and current leaders. The chapter will provide a list of key actions related to environment and biodiversity conservation by the two corporate houses through their trusts and companies. These had emerged long before it became mandatory for corporates to contribute to social or environmental causes and has not been triggered by law or policies in the past. It is observed that their thinking (action) process was strongly influenced by an interest in nature. They used their finances to fund biodiversity conservation not for compliance purposes alone but through a genuine interest in species and or habitats. Key learnings are how such actions can be stimulated in other corporate groups for furthering the national agenda of biodiversity conservation.