Management Discussion and Analysis I. ECONOMIC OVERVIEW: The br-budget economic survey tells that Indian Economy is looking-up with brighter prospects amongst the world's major economies today. The Economic Survey 2014-15 indicates that a clear political mandate for reform and a benign external environment now is expected to propel India on to a double digit trajectory. It states that Indian economy appears to have now gone past the economic slowdown, persistent inflation, elevated fiscal deficit, slackening domestic demand, external account imbalances and oscillating rupee. The Economic Survey taking into consideration the change of base year by the Central Statistics Office of the National Accounts series from 2004-05 to 201112, states that growth at market prices for 2015-16 is expected to be 8.1-to 8.5 per cent. The growth rate in GDP at constant (2011-12) market prices in 2012-13 was 5.1 per cent, which increased to 6.9 percent in 2013-14 and it is expected to further increase to 7.4 per cent in 2014-15 (According to advanced estimates). The change in methodology by the Central Statistics Office has also introduced the concept of Gross Value Added (GVA) at the aggregate and various sectoral levels. The Economic Survey says that expectation for such a growth rate is also due to a number of reforms that have already been undertaken and more that are being planned for. The Survey enlist various reform measures like de-regulation of diesel price, taxing energy products, replacing cooking gas subsidy by direct transfer on national scale, passing an Ordinance to reform the coal sector via auctions, increasing the FDI caps in defence etc. The Survey report also commended the far reaching changes brought about on the issue of sharing of revenues between the Centre and States as recommended by the 14th Finance Commission. The Survey says that decline in inflation by over 6 percentage points since late 2013 and also reduction of current account deficit from a peak of 6.7 per cent of GDP in the third quarter of2012-13 to about one (1) per cent in the coming fiscal year has made India an attractive investment destination well above most other countries. The expected high growth rate in the coming year in the favorable economic environment has created a historic movement of opportunity to propel India into a double-digit growth trajectory to attain the fundamental objective of "wiping every tear from every eye" of the vulnerable and poor people of the country, the survey says. It also gives an opportunity to the increasingly young, middle-class and aspirational India to realize its full potential. As the new Government is to brsent its first full year budget, the Economic Survey states that it appears that India has reached a sweet spot and that there is a scope for Big Bang reforms now. The growth estimates of over 8 per cent for the current year is on expectations that the monsoon will be favorable as it was forecast to be normal, compared to last year. However the growth rate in Gross Value Added (GVA) at basic prices in agriculture is projected to decline from 3.7 per cent in 2013-14, an exceptionally good brvious year from the point of view of rainfall, to 1.1 per cent in 2014-15, the current year with not-so-favourable monsoon. The Economic Survey has also drawn our attention to certain other stagnating or declining elements of the economy in the recent past. It says that the growth in 2014-15 is largely driven by domestic demand. There is hardly any external support to growth in 2014-15, as the growth in exports is projected to be only 0.9 per cent and the growth rate of imports, around (-) 0.5 per cent. The deceleration in imports owe substantially to the sharp decline in international oil prices in the current year that combrssed the oil import bill. On investments the Survey had significantly commented that while private investment must remain the primary engine of long-run growth, the public investment, especially in the railways, will have to play an important role at least in the interim, to revive growth and to deepen physical connectivity. The Economic Survey made some interesting comments saying that price subsidies do not appear to have had a transformative effect on the living standards of the poor, though they have helped poor households to weather inflation and price volatility. It says that a close look at price subsidies, which are estimated to be about 3,78,000 crore rupees, about 4.24 per cent of GDP, reveal that they may not be the government's best weapon for fighting poverty. Dwelling upon various subsidies to the poor, the Survey even stated that price subsidies are often regressive. It said, an analysis of current subsidy scheme indicates that rich households benefit more from the subsidy than a poor household. Among various examples that it had dwelt upon the Survey said that subsidy on electricity can only benefit the relatively rich. The Survey, however, concluded that eliminating or phasing down subsidies is neither feasible nor desirable. It said that by adopting what it called the JAM Number Trinity-)an Dhan Yojana, Aadhaar and Mobile numbers would allow the State to deliver the subsidies to poor in a targeted and less distorted manner. The Economic Survey had exbrssed a serious concern that several projects have been stalled and such a tendency is increased over the past years. In the same breath the Survey report exbrssed happiness that such stalling of projects seems to have plateaued. It suggested revitalizing public private partnership model of investment. Noting India had hit an economic sweet spot, the report added the country had room for big bang reforms. "Several reforms have been undertaken and more are on the anvil. The introduction of the GST and expanding direct benefit transfers can be game-changers," it added. "In the short run, growth will receive a boost from lower oil prices, from likely monetary policy easing facilitated by lower inflation and lower inflationary expectations, and forecast of a normal monsoon," the Survey said. The country's consumer inflation will also drop to between 5 and 5.5 per cent in 2015-16, opening up space for more monetary easing, the survey report said. 2. Global Assessment: Global growth is picking momentum in 2015 so far relative to the brvious year. GDP growth continues to strengthen in the USA; however Q1 2015 is expected to record a muted growth. Growth has firmed marginally in the Euro area as also Japan where exports have also recorded improvement. However, China remains a weak link with the country's officials recognizing that it is off its peak growth phase. Additionally, monetary policies across advanced economies such as USA, Euro zone, Canada, Japan, and emerging economies such as China, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea etc are in an easing cycle in order to provide a fillip to economic growth. As regards financial markets, strong foreign inflows particularly into emerging economies with a stronger fundamental remain high thereby creating a risk of major outflow and dent in the financial markets when the monetary cycle in the USA begins to turn around. Domestic Economy: Growth: Growth in the domestic economy has strengthened from a year ago levels with the GDP estimate of 7.4% for FY15 as against 6.9% in FY14. This stronger growth is expected to be supported by the primary and secondary sectors of the economy as food production is viewed to be higher than the weak outlook for the same at the start of FY15. The positive IIP growth for the last three consecutive months implies a revival in industry and in particular the manufacturing sector. Inflation: Throughout fiscal '15, RBI maintained a razor sharp focus on the Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) and strived towards following the 'disinflationary glide path' put forward by the Dr. Urjit Patel Committee report in Dec '13. However, inflation has receded considerably since then. CPI inflation was well within RBI's target as of Feb '15 at 5.3% despite the reversal of the high base effect. At the wholesale level, inflation entered negative territory at -2.1% in Feb '15. Liquidity: Liquidity management has been proactively carried out through the various term repo auctions by the RBI. This has ensured a smooth flow and availability of sufficient liquidity in the system. Trade: Export growth is muted currently primarily on account of the relatively stronger INR vis-a-vis the USD which has impacted the country's export margins. However, a strong export of services in software and travel has contributed towards a lower Current Account Balance of 1.6% of GDP in Q3 FY151. Although foreign inflows have moderated marginally, they remain on the higher end. Thus the strong foreign inflows into domestic equity, debt securities 2. HOSPITALITY & TOURISM INDUSTRY OVERVIEW: Tourism today is one of the largest global industries and a major engine for economic growth and employment generation. International tourist arrivals have grown steadily from 25 million in 1950 to over 1.1 billion in 2014. At brsent, 1 in every 11 people worldwide are employed by the tourism sector, with the industry generating US$ 7.6 trillion or 10% of the global GDP in 2014 (Source: WTTC Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2015). The Indian tourism and hospitality industry has emerged as one of the key drivers of growth among the services sector in India. Tourism in India is a potential game changer. It is a sun rise industry, an employment generator, a significant source of foreign exchange for the country and an economic activity that helps local and host communities. The value of the brand to the consumer, the growth in emerging markets, the importance of consumer-facing technology, and development and retention of human capital have helped shape the tourism industry over the past five years. The travel and tourism sector has developed into an industry with an annual economic report (direct, indirect and induced) of around US$ 6.5 trillion worldwide. The global hotel industry generates approximately between US$ 400-500 billion in revenue each year, one third of that revenue is attributable to the United States. India is One among the top five medical tourist spots in the world having hosted nearly 166.000 medical tourists from across the globe said a PHD Chamber's Medical and Wellness Tourism Report. The medical tourism industry in India is expected to reach an estimated value of $6 billion (Rs.36,060 crore) by 2018, it added. The growth of medical tourism in India has led to the enhancement of better and advanced medical facilities in the country, more tourists are coming to India because cost of treatment here is much less compared to the US and the European countries. Market Size The number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) has grown steadily in the last three years reaching around 7.46 million during CY 2014. Foreign exchange earnings (FEEs) from tourism in terms of US dollar grew by 7.1 per cent during CY 2014 as compared to 5.9 per cent over the corresponding CY 2013. FEEs during the 2014 were Rs1 20,083 crore (US$ 19.02 billion) as compared to FEEs of Rs107,671 crore (US$ 17.05 million) during 2013 over the corresponding period of 2012. FTA's of the past 10 years is as below: The Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) scheme enabled by Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), launched by the Government of India on November 27, 2014 for 43 countries has led to a growth of 1,214.9 percent recently. For example, during the month of January 2015, a total of 25,023 tourist arrived by availing TVoA as compared to 1,903 TVoA during the month of January 2014. Investments The tourism and hospitality sector is among the top 1 5 sectors in India to attract the highest foreign direct investment (FDI). During the period April 2000-February 2015, this sector attracted around US$ 7,862.08 million of FDI, according to the data released by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). sWith the rise in the number of global tourists and realizing India's potential, many companies have invested in the tourism and hospitality sector. Government Initiatives The Indian government has realized the country's potential in the tourism industry and has taken several steps to make India a global tourism hub. Some of the major initiatives taken by the Government of India to give a boost to the tourism and hospitality sector of India are as follows: The Government of India has set aside Rs.500 crore (US$ 79.17 million) for the first phase of the National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY). • The 12 cities in the first phase are Varanasi, Amritsar, Ajmer, Mathura, Gaya, Kanchipuram, Vellankani, Badami, Amaravati, Warangal, Puri and Dwarka. • Under 'Project Mausam' the Government of India has proposed to establish cross cultural linkages and to revive historic maritime cultural and economic ties with 39 Indian Ocean countries. • Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India and Oman for strengthening cooperation in the field of tourism. • Announcement by Mr Arun Jaitley, Minister of Finance, to extend Visa on Arrival Facility (VOA) to 150 countries in stages from the current 43, is a big step to promote tourism. The revenue from tourism sector can be utilized for the development of the country and can boost the economy of country. Road Ahead For Tourism, climate change is not a remote event, but a phenomenon that already affects the sector and certain destinations, in particular mountain ranges and coastal destinations among others. Climate is an essential resource for tourism, specially for the beach, nature and winter sport tourism segments. Changing climate and weather patterns at tourist destinations and tourist generating countries can significantly affect the tourists' comfort and their travel decisions. There is now a wide recognition of the urgent need for the tourism industry, national governments and international organizations to develop and implement strategies to face the changing climate conditions and to take brventive actions for future effects as well as to mitigate the environmental impacts of tourism contributing to climate change. In effect, our concerted pursuit of growth should be within a framework of responsibility that positively and proactively addresses the issues of environmental sensitivity, social engagement and economic returns for the community. Tourism should not only work for the tourist and the entrebrneur but for the wider host community, and overall identity of the nation, today and for future generations. For effective delivery of the New Tourism Policy 2015, R Tourism development has to effectively happen in a way that leverages all critical levers for tourism economy development, including: Ensuring alignment of the States and the Union 3. MARKET OVERVIEW Your company has modest scale of operations with significant geographic concentration in Hyderabad; nearing 70% of the room portfolio, while the rest 3 0% contributed by Chandigarh and Chennai. In tandem with the subdued performance in the Indian Hotel industry, you company too witnessed a considerable moderation in the performance and also impacted due the state bifurcation and now started settling down after 1 year of the bifurcation. While revenues growth is minimal at 2% compared to last year, the fixed overheads and increase in the interest burden led to sharp fall in profits and the company reported loss after tax. Your company is now expanding into Mumbai and Bangalore markets and Mumbai hotel will open during the current financial year and in Bangalore the company has acquired land and will be taking up the hotel project shortly. While occupancies pan India are showing signs of improvement during 2014-15, this appears to be driven by a few pockets such as Mumbai, where occupancies grew by 15% year-to-date in December 2014 supported by traffic for large conferences and weddings. "This traction comes after almost two years of negligible supply addition. Bengaluru also exhibited some stabilisation with incremental supply being slowly absorbed; however, the newer properties launched during 201214 continue to struggle with weak RevPARs," The National Capital Region (NCR) is exhibiting a wide variation in performance across Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon, with Delhi exhibiting 1-2% growth in ARR and occupancies during October-December while rates in the Delhi Aerocity area and Gurgaon remained weak. ICRA also said there are around 29,000 brmium rooms under development, to be launched over the next six years. "The next supply bump will hit the market in 2016 across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Noida with over 6,500 rooms. Markets such as Pune and Gurgaon will also see sizable room additions. Unless demand keeps pace, the widening supply-demand gap in these cities will impact rate integrity over the next two years," FUTURE EXPANSION PLANS TAJ KRISHNA Your Company has completed the construction of multi level car park, large banquet lawn and connecting bridge between Taj Krishna and Taj Deccan and the renovation of Swimming Pool, Spa / Gym in advance stage and will be completed during the current financial year. The additional facility will bring in more room and F&B business to both properties. GINGER HOTEL PROJECT The Company is also planning to enter the value for money segment through the 'Ginger' brand in the State of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The excavation works on the first Ginger hotel near the Shamshabad International Airport have been completed. The Company is expecting the final building approvals shortly and thereafter the construction work will start. MUMBAI HOTEL PROJECT The Company jointly with M/s. Greenridge Hotels & Resorts LLP (Greenridge - a GVK Company) through SPV M/s. Green Woods Palaces & Resorts Private Limited (Green Woods) is setting up a 5 Star Deluxe Luxury Hotel comprising of 279 rooms near Terminal 1C, Mumbai International Airport, Santacruz, Mumbai under the 'TAJ SANTACRUZ' brand. Necessary agreements to this effect have been entered into and the project work is progressing as per schedule. The Company invested -110.25 crores in the Hotel Project and the hotel shall commence commercial operations during the financial year 2015-16. BENGALURU HOTEL PROJECT Company has been allotted around 7.5 acres land in Yellahanka, Bengaluru for hotel project. The construction of bridge across the land abutting Company land to connect to National Highway is completed. The hotel building plans are under evaluation, and expect to approach the authorities shortly for building approval and there after the construction work will commence. 5. FINANCIALS REVENUES: Income has increased by 2% to Rs.250.02 crores from Rs.245.13 crores in the brvious year. The room revenues rose by 4% to Rs.102.85 crores from Rs.99.1 1 crores. The Food & Beverage income was Rs.128.18 crores a rise of 2% compared to brvious year's Rs.125.00 crores. Expenditure: • The total expenditure increased by 3% to Rs.199.29 crores from Rs.192.46 crores in the brvious year due to the effect of inflation. • Payroll cost was in line with that of brvious year mainly on account of optimisation of staff in spite of the annual salary increments. • Other operating expenses were higher by 3% as compared to brvious year mainly on account of rise in cost of raw material and other costs as a result of inflation. • Other expenses were higher than brvious year by 5%. Earnings before Interest, Debrciation, Tax and Amortisation (EBIDTA): EBIDTA registered a decline of 11% -50.73 crores in 20141 5 from - 56.78 crores in the brvious year. The percentage of operational expenditure break-up is given in pie chart below. Profit before Tax: The company incurred a Loss before tax of-1.83 crores as compared to a Profit before tax of -8.73 crores in the brvious year. Profit after Tax: The company incurred a Loss after tax of-1.97 crores as compared to a Profit after tax of-4.98 crores in the brvious year. RISK MANAGEMENT: Risks and Concerns Economic Risks: Hotel business in general is sensitive to fluctuations in the economy. The hotel sector may be unfavourably affected by changes in global and domestic economies, changes in local market conditions, excess room supply, reduced international or local demand for hotel rooms and associates services, competition in the industry, government policies and regulations, fluctuations in interest rates and foreign exchange rates and other natural and social factors. Since demand for hotels is affected by world economic growth, a global recession could lead to a downturn in the hotel industry. Socio-Political Risks:The Hotel industry faces risk from volatile socio-political environment, internationally as well as within the country. India, being one of the fastest growing economies of the world in the recent past, continues to attract investments. However, any adverse events such as political instability, conflict between nations, terrorist attacks or sbrad of any epidemic or security threats to any countries may affect the level of travel and business activity. Security Risks: The Hotel industry demands peace at all times to flourish. The biggest villain in South East Asia has been terrorism supplemented by political instability. Subsequent to the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008, the hotel industry has invested substantially on security and intelligence. The security concerns have been duly addressed instilling confidence in the customer by providing international standards of safety. Company-specific Risks Heavy Dependence on India: Risk of wage inflation: The hotel industry needs quality employees and with demand for the same improving across the industry, the Company feels that wage inflation would be a critical factor in determining costs for the Company. Thus, your Company will continue to focus on improving manpower efficiencies and creating a lean organisation, while maximizing effectiveness in terms of customer service and & satisfaction, which is an area of great importance for your Company. Foreign Exchange Risk: Your Company may be impacted by the fluctuation of the Indian Rupee against other foreign currencies. To mitigate this risk the Company has migrated to single currency billing in Indian Rupees. Project Implementation Risk: Your Company may be impacted by delays in implementation of projects which would result in increasing project cost and loss of potential revenue. To mitigate this risk, the Company has in place an experienced project team supported by the leading external technical consultants and a dedicated project management company. The Company will endeavour to complete its projects on time at optimal cost so as to maximise the profitability. 7. INTERNAL CONTROLS Your Company's Internal Auditors carryout audit of the transactions of the Company at all the hotels and the corporate office periodically, in order to ensure that recording and reporting are adequate and proper. The Internal Audit also verifies whether internal controls and checks & balances in the systems are adequate, proper and up to date. Corrective actions for any weaknesses in the system that may be disclosed by the Audits are taken. The Internal audit is based on an exhaustive list of parameters called the Taj Positive Assurance Model (TPAM) which identifies the critical issues needing immediate management attention. The meticulous implementation of the improvements resulting from the TPAM exercise has overhauled the existing system and resulted in higher efficiencies. The Audit Committee of the Board reviews the important observations of the Internal Audit and suggests corrective actions for the management to implement. The Internal Audit team also assesses the risks facing the company, steps taken to mitigate the risks and holds discussions with the management on the subject in order to create awareness of the risks and to take appropriate actions for reducing the impact and frequency of occurrence of the risks. The Audit Committee of the Company meets periodically to review and recommend quarterly, half-yearly and annual financial statements of the Company. The Committee also holds discussions with the internal auditors, statutory auditors and the management on the matters relating to internal controls, auditing and financial reporting. The Committee also reviews with the statutory auditors, the scope and results of the audits. HUMAN RESOURCES: Human Capital The term human capital formation means, "The process of acquiring and increasing the number of persons who have the skills, education and experience which are critical for the development of the company. Modern technology is becoming more and more complex. With the growth of science, machinery and equipment are becoming more sophisticated. Their efficient operation requires skill and technical knowledge. Therefore capital development is very significant. Therefore, your Company endeavours to take a more strategic and supportive approach to recruiting and retention to find and retain the new breed of evolving talent. Recognition & Communication Your Company has inculcated the best practices of Human Resources of Taj Group to weight its Human resources capital. In line with the corporate guidelines, the 'STARS' -Special Thanks and Recognition System is being followed to motivate the associates who excel in their service standards and reward them accordingly. The TATA core values are imparted to associates including new inductees, through the Tata Code of Conduct - TCOC as a group policy along with the Sexual Harassment Redressal Policy - SHRP. An Employee Satisfaction Survey is conducted at the end of every financial year by an external organization, the Gallup Organization to provide feedback to the company on the satisfaction levels so as to enable the Company to frame necessary measures to improve the work environment. Acts of excellence are recognized by displaying the names of the employees on the notice board. A continuous dialogue between the management and the associates is promoted through the monthly Town Hall meetings. A quarterly Newsletter is published every year to share all the information and events at our hotel across TAJGVK group of hotels. Customary meetings are organized with the associates at department and hotel level. It is indeed gratifying to note that Taj was awarded the Gallup "Great work place" award recognising its extraordinary capability to create an engaged work place ethnicity. It was among 25 distinguished organisations worldwide and only two organisations in India to receive this brstigious award. Social Activities Each hotel's Annual hay is celebrated every financial year at all properties where all associates participate actively making this the most happening event of the year. It is the consequence of various activities conducted for the associates. Various cultural activities mark this occasion and the service awards are brsented for employee motivation which is a very good way of employee recognition, awarding them in front of all the associates makes them feel conceited and acts as catalyst for others to do better and get recognized, this marks a healthy competition which benefits both the organization as well as the associate's. These awards were conceptualized as an apbrciation for employees, who have worked with the hotel and hold an exceptional professional record. The Joy at Work or "JAW" initiative is the other benefits that the organization gives to its associates which are necessary for contravening the day to day work activities and giving the associates the necessary break. These activities are conducted for the associates as an avenue to unwind from their busy work schedules. 1. Movie Screening 2. Employee Recognition 3. Medical facilities including a dental, yoga & an eye camp provided to associates 4. Food Festival 5. Team outings for the Associate 6. A wide range of sports both indoor and outdoor, are held to keep the employees bright which is essential for the work place culture. The following YOA initiatives have been rolled out for the associates: > Birthday Celebrations including cake and meal for the family. > Total employee involvement initiatives. > FTC medical insurance cover. > Free stay for newlyweds and Retiring employees. > Health Camp. > Up gradation of Heart of the House facility. > Learn at Taj: Children of the associates have been given scholarships to 3 Taj scholars on merit based in their age category > Paternity leave: 1 week leave has been provided > Vidya scheme: the associates of the hotels have been driven for computer literacy. > Bridging gaps > House system. > Partner of the month. > Mid management holiday plan > Hotel management scholarship. The various initiatives and endeavours which have been talked about here are part of a greater strategy set in place by the Company. The aim is to bring the employees together in a cohesive structure that works efficiently towards the larger ideals and goals of the Company, without losing sight of the dynamics that exist at a more personal level. The professional satisfaction quotient of an employee dictates his/her productive output, which in turn enhances and contributes towards the larger goal of providing the best customer service possible. Corporate Social Responsibility Your company believes in undertaking for the society and play an active role in contribution towards the society and taking the environmental and social responsibility sincerely. It continues to be a member of the Tata Council for Community Initiative (TCCI) which carries out social development programs. A New Year lunch is organized by each of the hotels in our group. The New Year is ushered in with lunch served in Little Sisters of Poor home for the aged, Ashray Akruthi School for the hearing impaired and Don Bosco Navajeevan a shelter for the street children. Each of our hotels distributes discard linen, uniforms, lost and found articles as per the corporate directive to registered underprivileged organizations. In alignment with the theme 'Building livelihoods we have trained adolescents /adults in F & B Service, Food Production, Housekeeping to equip them with skills for developing in their future endeavours. Local organisations like Don Bosco were instrumental in assisting our hotels in acquiring youth to train. Training of specially challenged adolescents is a continuous culture followed at our hotels which has been inspirational and a challenge which can be cherished. Support by purchasing products from different NGO's to provide them sustainable income was a good step taken in the right direction. Printing of associate's birthday cards from PAWMENCAP, a school for the specially challenged, Purchase of articles made by the physically challenged and leprosy affected supported and promoted by MESH organization are gifts for all the rewards and recognition initiatives for associates. NGO's are given a platform to showcase their products and sell them to associates. Products included handmade jute products by women self-help groups, products by weavers, organic bakery products etc. The sales give them incredible support and enthusiasm. A blood donation camp was organized on 1st October, World Voluntary Blood Donation Day which is used for Thalesimic patients in particular. Associates from our hotels spend quality time with children affected with cancer in the MNI Cancer hospital distributing colours, books and snacks which is enduring. The organisations / NGO'S who have been benefited from our CSR: 1. MESH 2. Kriti Foundation 3. Hyderabad Goes Green 4. Chitrika 5. Don Bosco Navajeevan 6. GMR Varalakshmi Foundation 7. Vocational Rehabilitation Center 8. Boys Town 9. Cancer Patients Aid Association EARTH (Environment Awareness and Renewal at Taj Hotels): "In the long term, economic sustainability depends on ecological sustainability." The above view propagates the need to view climate change as the greatest challenge to face man and treated as a much bigger priority than it has been in the past. As you are aware, your Company believes and inculcate by sbrading knowledge and through their practises in playing an important role in brservation of the natural elements. World Environment Day on 5th June is observed worldwide and at the Taj hotels it is the EARTH - Environment Awareness and Renewal at Taj Hotels. EACH year this day is of huge importance wherein activities involving associates are intended and achievements by the hotels in areas like reducing water consumption, saving electricity and waste management is dealt with. Activities included an Eco-walk in which associates of our hotels participated in solidarity for Our Planet Earth, sapling plantation, pollution check for guests and associates vehicles, sales by organizations who promote and make environment friendly products and to add a delicious 'Green Menu' at the staff cafeteria. Your Company has attained a Green Globe Certification at the Silver level. Green Globe is a global brand that includes programs for sustainability, carbon neutrality and Benchmarking, Certification and Performance Improvement. The overall objective to is to target specific areas in environment awareness like waste minimization, reuse, recycling; energy efficiency, conservation, management; management of freshwater resources; waste water management; hazardous substances management; transport; land-use planning and management; involvement of staff, customers, communities in environmental issues; design for sustainability and partnerships for sustainable development. Over the next few years your Company aims to upgrade the level of certification by improved performance in all the above mentioned areas. |