Behind the Scenes of BKT’s ‘Glocal’ Approach

Times are tough for many of us, and it is great to see so many people come together through turbulent times. It is particularly inspiring to see here at BKT, where community spirit has been an integral part of our core values since our humble beginnings. Read on to learn more about our 'Glocal' Approach to business.

Times are tough for many of us, and it is great to see so many people come together through turbulent times. It is particularly inspiring to see here at BKT, where community spirit has been an integral part of our core values since our humble beginnings. BKT values have always been to grow together, be positive members of society, and take great care of glocal communities and employees. Our cherished communities are the foundation of our growth; if they aren’t thriving, frankly, neither are we!

Arvind Poddar, chairman and managing director of BKT, says, "The focus of BKT's philosophy lies in its care and concern for all its stakeholders. This is reflected in the motto ‘sharing is caring' - the reason why we have been Growing Together for so long." Stakeholders are everyone that is involved in or benefits from BKT: from local communities, employees, investors, customers, and so many more.

BKTs Glocal Approach

BKT’s Glocal approach is integral to our daily operations and growth strategy. Glocalisation aims to challenge the restrictive and negative connotations of globalization. Glocal is an adjective: for businesses "reflecting or characterized by both local and global considerations." BKT truly embodies the glocal approach with 'think big, act local'. It plays a critical part in our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.

Corporate social responsibility is a form of business self-regulation that businesses should abide by to contribute to community goals where the company operates. This can be achieved through methods of philanthropy, positive non-destructive activism, or charitable behavior. We celebrate culture and want it to prosper. India, for example, is recognised for its vibrant culture; we would not like to see it disappear, and the same can be said in the countries we operate in. 

Sponsorships and Community Outreach

A very recent development within our glocal approach is our sponsorship of The United Rugby Championships (URC). To learn more, read our full article here. Sport has always brought communities together, while simultaneously leaving differences aside. And BKT’s passion for the sport is very well known - so we could not be more excited!

The sponsorship will last until 2025 and will be recognised as the 'BKT United Rugby Championship' in the northern hemisphere. The sponsorship aims to assist BKT by continuing to enhance the glocal approach, exposing us to local markets whilst reflecting BKT’s core values - and, importantly, bringing together sports fans!

URC aims to celebrate the culture and individual identities of its member teams, and find ways to connect fans and communities through a range of activities - not solely on the rugby pitch. 

Sustainability

Another aspect of our positive CSR and glocal approach is BKT’s sustainability initiatives. Sustainability has been at the forefront of our goals since the very beginning, and our multiple awards further validate this. These values have spanned decades: simply to look after our people and the environment they live in. 

Did you know that our first wind farm was installed in 2004? And we continue to stay ahead of the curve. Through frequent research and technological advances, we ongoingly strategise how we can be better and leave a comfortable home for our children and future generations of farmers. 

Sustainability involves everyone on this planet, rich and poor, not just us and our stakeholders. Collectively at BKT, we ensure that all employees are expertly trained, and design our tires responsibly and sustainably. This all starts with the selection of raw materials such as recycled components, and ensuring all operations and processes work harmoniously with sustainable innovations, efficient material management and clean technologies. Furthermore, BKT focuses on conservation efforts and emission and waste reduction. Our robustly designed tires - plus our clear communication of the purpose of each design, and how to use them correctly - all crucially increase the life cycle of our products. 

Keep an eye out for our newest sustainability campaign 'Leaf. Our Energy'. This further communicates that there is no future without sustainability developments. View the ad here.

Some more key sustainability highlights include:
 

• We set up our solar power plant at Chopanki in 2017.

• The Board's CSR Committee elevates our focus on Community care.

• Our staff turnover rate is among the lowest in the industry, showcasing our sustainable workforce (6.89 % in FY 2021-22).

• We reuse raw materials to make our tires more sustainable.

People-Centric Company

People are the center of what we do, therefore, we ensure the preservation of local environments for our employees. Their community is among the highest priority. This includes providing contemporary living facilities to ensure the mental and physical well-being and regional initiatives to fight against deforestation and preserve water. 

BKT’s people are, all-importantly, the sole reason for our growth. They are the essential cogs that ensure the smooth running of our operations and success, which hasn't gone unnoticed. As a company who collaborates with highly skilled experts to guide us through our sustainability challenges, we understand just how important a good education is. 

We invited children from three age groups to participate in a painting competition at our Bhuj Oasis Housing Colony. At a young age, painting contributes to the bigger picture (pardon the pun!). The practice aids creative thinking, visual perception, motor skills and the expression of emotion. 

Beyond taking part in community events, we have also set up the BKT Foundation, where we provided free midday meals for 14 million children in 10,000 schools annually, free education to 800 girls in Rajasthan, and also sponsored international charity projects. Our 'Campus to Corporate' program equips 100 young students yearly with core technology production, engineering, marketing, HR, and commercial skills. As part of our CSR goals, diversity is critical. Women are an integral backbone of our operations and comprise a massive agricultural labor force. What’s more, women are breaking through the male-dominated construction industry. Please read our blog on how women are breaking barriers here. All of us will inevitably face many challenges in the coming years, yet together we will flourish to provide a better future for generations to come. At BKT, we strive to stay true to our origins as a local family business and give back to the local communities that play a critical role in our brand heritage. 

Join us! You can be part of our community on Facebook - a mere click away. Here, you can stay up to date with all our glocal strategies - thinking big and acting local - and discover all of our community projects and further developments in sustainability. Welcome to the family!