Pune, October 22, 2024: Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) has achieved a major milestone by planting over 700,000 trees in different parts of Maharashtra, highlighting the Group’s commitment to ecological restoration. This includes the Group’s recent initiative of planting 100,000th tree at the Green Future Park near its Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (CSN) car manufacturing facility, which will provide an oxygen-rich environment to the Shendra Industrial area.

SAVWIPL’s tree plantation efforts are part of a larger sustainability agenda that includes a range of green projects. The Group has made notable progress in reducing its carbon footprint, including the complete decarbonization of its Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar plant, which includes operations on 100% Green Energy. Additionally, SAVWIPL has installed 18.5 MWp of rooftop solar power at its Chakan facility, offsetting nearly 30% of CO2 emissions.

Further demonstrating its environmental commitment, SAVWIPL has restored 100 hectares of degraded mangrove forests in Alibaug, planting over 580,000 trees to revitalize the vital coastal ecosystem. The Group has also enhanced its sustainability efforts with rainwater harvesting capacity exceeding 600 million litres in drought prone villages of Maharashtra, reflecting its dedication to sustainable water management beyond the fence.

Over the last few years, SAVWIPL has been consistently supporting ecological restoration projects in the local area of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Pune, and a few other places in Maharashtra. Some of the key projects include the plantation of 25,000 trees at Oxygen Park, and 11,500 trees at the Green Hub. The 63,500 trees at recently developed Green Future Park have significantly expanded these efforts.

These initiatives are expected to have a considerable impact on CO2 reduction once the trees reach maturity in 5-7 years. Beyond environmental benefits, these projects contribute to reducing local temperatures, restoring ecosystems, and enhancing green cover. Rich in biodiversity, they align with the Group’s environmental mission statement of ‘goTOzero’.