STORIES OF CHANGE, BUILT TO LAST
In villages where hunger once disrupted learning and livelihoods were uncertain, METSO India is enabling lasting change through strategic CSR interventions in education, nutrition, healthcare, and skill development, helping communities move from dependency to dignity
In the early hours of the morning, as the sun rises over the villages of Asoj and Laljipura in Gujarat's Vadodara district, schoolyards gradually come alive. Children gather for assembly, their chatter filling the air as teachers prepare for the day ahead. From the kitchen, the comforting aroma of freshly cooked food drifts across the campus. For many students, this is the moment they look forward to most - not simply because a meal awaits them, but because it assures them of a day that begins with dignity and care.
This quiet yet powerful moment reflects the deeper philosophy guiding the corporate social responsibility journey of METSO India Pvt Ltd. Rather than viewing CSR as a compliance-driven obligation, the company has shaped its interventions around one core belief: meaningful development must first address everyday needs before it can unlock long-term opportunity.
Over the years, this belief has translated into a set of carefully designed CSR initiatives spanning nutrition, education, healthcare, sanitation, and skill development. Implemented through credible partners and embedded within local ecosystems, these initiatives are not isolated acts of philanthropy – they are interconnected pathways towards sustainable change.
METSO, a Finland-based industrial technology company, has operated in India since 1992. Over nearly three and a half decades, its presence has grown steadily, with manufacturing and foundry engineering facilities in Alwar, Vadodara and Ahmedabad, and a workforce of over 4,000 employees nationwide. As the company expanded, so did its responsibility towards the communities surrounding its operations.
The commissioning of METSO’s largest greenfield manufacturing unit in Alwar in 2010 marked a turning point – not just in industrial scale, but in social engagement. The company’s CSR strategy began to focus on districts and villages, aligning business presence with community investment
What emerged was a multi-pronged approach: addressing immediate barriers such as hunger and preventable illness, while simultaneously building systems that strengthen education, health awareness and livelihoods. Each intervention was selected for its potential to be sustained, measured and scaled.
Focused classrooms and supportive learning environments help girls pursue education with confidence, continuity and aspiration.
In the government schools of Asoj and Laljipura, the Mid-Day Meal programme supported by METSO and implemented by the Akshaya Patra Foundation has reshaped the rhythm of school life. Attendance is no longer erratic, and classrooms are more attentive and engaged.
Children describe the meals in simple terms – tasty, filling, healthy. Yet behind these words lies a profound shift. For many families, the assurance of a nutritious meal at school eases financial pressure and reinforces the importance of regular attendance
Children describe the meals in simple terms – tasty, filling, healthy. Yet behind these words lies a profound shift. For many families, the assurance of a nutritious meal at school eases financial pressure and reinforces the importance of regular attendance
The scale of this intervention is evident at the Akshaya Patra central kitchen, where thousands of meals are prepared daily with remarkable precision. Automated cooking systems, strict hygiene protocols, RO treated water and temperature-controlled transportation ensure consistency and safety. Each meal provides more than nutrition – it provides trust.
By supporting a proven model, METSO has enabled the Mid-Day Meal programme to deepen its reach without compromising quality. The outcome is visible not only in improved enrolment figures, but also in quieter indicators of change: children who stay in class longer, teachers who can teach without distraction, and parents who see education as a dependable pathway forward.
Several hundred kilometres away, in Rajasthan’s Alwar district, METSO’s education initiative – Project Prerna – is redefining rural classrooms. Implemented in partnership with Plan India, the project covers 29 government schools across Ramgarh, Umrain and Malakheda blocks, combining digital literacy, infrastructure development, scholarships and community engagement
At Government Senior Secondary School, Kesarpur, a dedicated ICT lab has transformed students’ approach to learning. Computers are no longer objects of curiosity; they are tools. Daily sessions introduce students to word processing, spreadsheets, presentations and structured online research. For senior students, a tailored curriculum ensures progression from basic familiarity to functional competence.
The transformation is most evident in student confidence. Many had never used a computer before joining the programme. Today, they navigate digital tools with ease, prepare presentations and explore online resources to supplement classroom learning.
A Class 11 student aspiring to become an engineer explains how access Women of the Maa Brundabati Self Help Group prepare Surakhya Phenyl, turning a small enterprise into a steady source of income and confidence. to digital learning helped her understand difficult concepts by
Daily access to nutritious mid-day meals leads to better concentration and classroom engagement among primary school students
Project Prerna’s ICT labs introduce rural students to digital literacy, equipping them with practical skills for a technology-driven future
Safe play spaces and improved amenities contribute to holistic development and joyful learning experiences.
Encouraged by its impact, the initiative expanded in 2015 across seven states and one Union Territory, covering 15 districts. Grounded in a Life Course Approach, Project Jagriti addresses nutrition, health, and hygiene as interconnected stages from adolescence to motherhood and beyond.
At the Basti Vikas Kendra, this approach plays out daily. Mamta Didis conduct Life Skills sessions for adolescents and Aanchal meetings for women, discussing maternal health, breastfeeding, and emotional well being. These sessions are not lectures but dialogues shaped by lived realities
Block Supervisor Tanveer Kaur, associated with the project for nearly a decade, explains: “We work with women, adults over 30, and adolescents. With adolescents, we talk about life goals and growing-up challenges; with adults, we discuss age-related health risks. The aim is to support people at every stage of life.
For adolescents like Abhigyan, a Class 8 student, these sessions build confidence. “I learned here that hormones change with age,” he says. “That’s why anger increases and why parents’ advice sometimes feels irritating.” He also learned about cyber fraud and now cautions his peers to stay alert online
Building trust was gradual. Outreach worker Priya recalls early resistance. “People didn’t want to connect initially. But once we explained that the information was for their benefit, things changed. Today, they call us themselves.”
One of the most visible shifts has been in women’s understanding of nutrition and maternal health. Earlier, nutritious food was seen as expensive and inaccessible Uzma, a new mother, credits the Mamta Didis for guiding her through early motherhood.
Gulshan recalls how beliefs were gently challenged: “My mother-in-law didn’t believe delivery should happen in a hospital. The Didis explained everything. They even told me that if I can’t afford paneer, I can eat chickpeas for protein.
From classrooms to skill centres, METSO’s community-driven CSR approach enables lasting livelihoods, Restored eyesight brings independence and dignity to elderly beneficiaries after successful cataract interventions. confidence and opportunity – quietly transforming lives across regions and generations.
Project Swachh Jeevan promotes behaviour change through practical sanitation, waste segregation and hygiene education in schools.
For Payal, information brought emotional reassurance. “If I hadn’t known that mild depression can happen during pregnancy, I would have been scared.
The programme engages entire families. Shahrukh Malik, who attends sessions with his wife, reflects: “After two pregnancies, I decided to focus on raising the kids well. I also support my wife in household chores. These things really bring happiness to a family.”
Perhaps the strongest testament comes from Nirmal, whose education resumed after Mamta Didis spoke to her family. Today, she is a Delhi University graduate, earning ₹25,000 a month
“None of this would have been possible without their guidance.” Quietly, Project Jagriti continues to strengthen families and empower communities — one home at a time.
This transformation is driven by Project NHK–Jigyasa, Nestlé India’s CSR initiative implemented with the Agastya International Foundation. Rooted in the belief that curiosity is the foundation of learning, the programme brings experiential science labs, and libraries into schools.
Nestlé India has helped set up learning labs in seven different schools, and each lab has 93 different models.
For years, science education remained largely theoretical. Laboratories, when present, were filled with fragile equipment students were discouraged from touching. Project NHK–Jigyasa changed this by introducing activity-based, hands-on learning
Anushka Honavarkar, a science graduate and Ignator with Project NHK Jigyasa since October 2023, plays a key role in turning hands-on science into lasting understanding.
Hands-on training and upgraded infrastructure strengthen frontline healthcare services under Project Jeevan Jyoti
Between mid-2024 and late 2025, 35,000 people were screened, with 1500 receiving sight-restoring surgeries. Each intervention represents more than medical success – it represents restored dignity and autonomy.
Nestlé India has helped set up learning labs in seven different schools, and each lab has 93 different models.
For years, science education remained largely theoretical. Laboratories, when present, were filled with fragile equipment students were discouraged from touching. Project NHK–Jigyasa changed this by introducing activity-based, hands-on learning
Anushka Honavarkar, a science graduate and Ignator with Project NHK Jigyasa since October 2023, plays a key role in turning hands-on science into lasting understanding.
“When students learn through hands-on activities, they visualise everything. They connect what they see and do with exams and with real life,” she says. “They come back to discuss concepts, ask questions and
Learning that goes beyond textbooks
METSO’s CSR journey demonstrates how thoughtful collaboration in education, healthcare and livelihoods can translate corporate commitment into measurable, lasting progress for communities.
Vocational training empowers women with skills for income and independence.
Today, Munna has represented India in international tournaments across Thailand, Indonesia, Bahrain, Dubai and Uganda. He holds two gold, two silver and six bronze medals internationally, and is ranked ninth in the world. The Delhi government has honoured him as Best Sportsperson.
He aspires to qualify for the World Championships, Asian Games and the 2028 Paralympics, drawing inspiration from Tokyo Paralympic gold medallist Pramod Bhagat
NBCC’s intervention was not simply about equipment; it was about belief.
From healthcare in Almora to airwaves in Baramulla, from classrooms in Sambhaji Nagar to badminton courts in Delhi, NBCC’s CSR initiatives are guided by a common philosophy: development must be inclusive.
Each story reflects a partnership between institution and community, and between aspiration and opportunity. In every case, NBCC chose to strengthen what already existed – a rural health centre, a local radio initiative, a special school, an athlete’s dream
Infrastructure may be NBCC’s core expertise, but in these stories, the true construction is intangible: trust rebuilt, confidence restored, potential unlocked.
