Fair trade practices, responding to environmental concerns, and giving back to communities in need have always been an integral part of Himalaya.
A few of our favorite stories . . .
4000 Adopted Farmers
Himalaya's commitment to the global community is part of our core values. Providing fair trade and making a positive difference in the lives of every everyone who contributes work or resources to Himalaya, is both an investment and a mission that we have been dedicated to since our beginning.
Himalaya has adopted 4,000 farmers through fair trade cooperative agreements to widen the benefits of trade by creating market linkages with poorer farming communities. We work with small and marginal farmers to promote their economic empowerment and help improve their livelihood.
About 1,800 women farmers participate in this program, through an organization based in the southern Indian in the state of Tamil Nadu. Through this program, we are procuring herbs like Bhringraj, Neem, Sarponka, Phyllanthus species, Punarnova, Cypruss species, and Tulsi.
By integrating these kinds of programs into our business requirement, we are able to ensure its sustainability. Our farming program objectives include:
- Creating economic empowerment by ensuring income generation for farmers
- Promoting good agricultural practices, including water preservation and sustainable organic farming without any form of fertilizers or pesticides
- Creating environmental awareness
Partnership with Vitamin Angels
Himalaya continues to be a proud supporter of Vitamin Angels, a worldwide non-profit organization helping to save the lives and eyesight of nutrient deficient children. Vitamin Angels reduces child mortality by connecting infants and children under five with vital nutrients-it only takes 50¢ to reach one child twice a year with enough vitamin A to reduce childhood mortality by 24% and ensure a child's eyesight. Vitamin Angels gives children a chance for a brighter future.
Trees for Life
Over the past several years, Himalaya has donated the planting of over 200,000 trees. Working with known tree-planting organizations like Trees for the Future, Arbor Day Foundation, and American Forests, a mix of fruit, fodder, and nitrogen-fixing trees have been planted with the involvement of local communities.
Each year, the trees that Himalaya has planted remove thousands of tons of pollution from the global atmosphere annually, replacing it with life-giving oxygen.
Certificate for Environmental Management
Himalaya has been awarded the ISO-14001:2004 certification-the most recognized standard, globally, for environment management. The certification is granted by National Quality Assurance (NQA), the UK's largest established certification body.
Himalaya has taken several steps to conserve water, power and reduce pollution to meet the NQA guidelines. The most significant achievement has been setting up a water treatment plant and sourcing water with low Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) externally. This has reduced the company's water consumption by as much as 10,000 liters a day!
Healthy Partners Rehabilitation Program
In 2011, Himalaya Herbal Healthcare signed an agreement with the Department of Prison Rehabilitation, Government of Karnataka, to create employment opportunities for prisoners.
According to the agreement, the prisoners will cultivate medicinal herbs for Himalaya, which will help in skill-building and employment generation. The program will target prisoners charged with minor offences, who have shown good behavior and a desire to rebuild their lives.
Inmates in the program will participate in the herb cultivation project, earning a regular monthly income and acquiring essential skills. Himalaya will provide seeds and technical assistance, along with training to the prisoners. Once the system begins to operate smoothly and efficiently, Himalaya will explore the possibility of scaling up the project and expanding scope to other prisons across the state.