Ashok Leyland Wins Mother Teresa Award for Corporate Citizenship

Key Highlights:

• Ashok Leyland won the Mother Teresa Award for Corporate Citizen of the Year 2024.
• The award recognizes the company’s CSR efforts in education, healthcare, and sustainability.
• Its Road to School program supports over 500,000 students in rural and underserved areas.
• The program focuses on reducing educational gaps and promoting overall student well-being.
• Ashok Leyland aims to positively impact one million students across India.

Ashok Leyland, a leading Indian commercial vehicle manufacturer under the Hinduja Group, won the Mother Teresa Award for Corporate Citizen of the Year 2024. The award ceremony was held at Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA). Dr. Palanivel Thiagarajan, Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Information Technology & Digital Services, gave the award to Ashok Leyland’s CSR team.

Leadership Insights

Shenu Agarwal, MD & CEO of Ashok Leyland, shared that corporate social responsibility (CSR) is part of the company’s business. “Winning the Mother Teresa Award confirms our commitment to building a sustainable and inclusive future,” he said.

Agarwal highlighted that the company’s flagship programs, Road to School and Road to Livelihood, benefit over 500,000 students. “This year, we added 92,000 new students, and we aim to include 100,000 more in FY26,” he added.

Balachandar NV, who manages CSR and Corporate Affairs at Ashok Leyland, stressed the focus on long-term impact. “‘Road to School’ reflects our company’s dedication to making meaningful changes in students’ lives,” he said.

Mother Teresa Award

The Mother Teresa Award, started in 1998, is a major recognition in India’s corporate sector. It honors organizations that show outstanding dedication to social responsibility, community welfare, and sustainability.

Road to School program

The Road to School program, started in 2015 with the Learning Links Foundation, initially covered 36 schools in Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu. The program focuses on reducing educational gaps in rural and underserved areas. It promotes both academic and non-academic growth, including health, hygiene, emotional well-being, and sports.

It has now expanded to seven states, reaching around 2,505 schools and supporting about 481,121 students from grades 2 to 12. This initiative also aligns with the United Nations’ Global Sustainable Development Goals for improving education and health.

Ashok Leyland’s CSR efforts

Ashok Leyland’s CSR efforts go beyond education to include healthcare, road safety, skill development, and women’s empowerment programs. The company also focuses on environmental sustainability through tree planting, water conservation, and reducing its carbon footprint.

This award recognizes Ashok Leyland’s dedication to balancing business growth with social development. The company is working toward its goal of positively impacting one million students across India.

Also Read: Ashok Leyland to Boost Electric Unit with ₹500 Crore Investment

CMV360 Says

Ashok Leyland winning the Mother Teresa Award shows how companies can make a big difference in society. Their Road to School program helps students in rural areas get better education, which is more important nowadays. It’s good to see a company care about more than just making money. More companies should do things like this to help students and communities.