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Mint
22-04-2025
- Business
- Mint
ICICI Bank installs facility to make drinking water from atmospheric moisture
In a significant step towards driving sustainability into its operations, ICICI Bank has announced the adoption of Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG) technology across key office locations – a technology which uses atmospheric moisture to convert into potable drinking water for its employees. The bank has installed multiple AWG units in collaboration with an indigenous private player to produce almost 8,000 litres of potable water a day from atmospheric moisture, which will be used to meet the drinking water needs of about 4,200 employees at five office locations – one each in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai and two in Chennai. This will significantly reduce the bank's reliance on bottled water and reduction of single-use plastics, driving its sustainability goals. Harnessing air to create clean drinking water The AWG systems operate by drawing in ambient air and cooling it to condense the water vapour present, thereby producing water. This harvested water is then passed through a multi-stage filtration and purification process to ensure it meets safe drinking water standards. Finally, essential minerals are added to enhance both the taste and nutritional profile of the water. These units are designed to function effectively year-round, operating within a wide range of ambient temperatures (18°C to 45°C) and humidity levels (25% to 100%). This ensures a steady and reliable water supply, even in changing weather conditions. Sustainability rooted in the 4R principle 'At ICICI Bank, we are committed to conducting our business in a sustainable and responsible manner, with the aim of reducing the environmental impact of our operations,' said Soumendra Mattagajasingh, Group Chief Human Resources Officer at ICICI Bank. 'Our environmental strategy is anchored in the 4Rs – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Responsible disposal. It is estimated that the atmosphere contains several times fresher water in the form of vapour than all the rivers on Earth. By using AWG technology, we aim to harness this renewable resource, reduce our use of packaged water, and advance our sustainability efforts,' he added. A broader environmental commitment The adoption of AWG units is one part of ICICI Bank's wider Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy. The bank has set a target to achieve carbon neutrality for Scope 1* and Scope 2** emissions by the financial year 2032. It has also made considerable progress in green building certifications, with over 180 locations covering nearly 4.95 million square feet certified by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) as of 31 March 2024. In FY2024, the ICICI Service Centre at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai was recognised as a Net Zero Waste site. The bank has also significantly increased its consumption of renewable energy, reaching 75.73 million kWh in FY2024 — a fourfold increase from the previous year. Beyond its own facilities, ICICI Bank supports wider environmental initiatives. Since FY2022, it has planted approximately 3.7 million trees and created a water harvesting capacity of 25.8 billion litres annually in schools and community water bodies. *Scope 1 emissions are direct greenhouse (GHG) emissions that occur from sources that are controlled or owned by an organisation. **Scope 2 emissions are indirect GHG emissions associated with the purchase of electricity, steam, heat, or cooling. Note to the Reader: This article has been produced on behalf of the brand by HT Brand Studio and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Mint. First Published: 22 Apr 2025, 11:30 AM IST
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
ICICI Bank deploys atmospheric water generators across key offices
In a first-of-its-kind sustainability push by a major Indian bank, ICICI Bank has installed Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs) across five of its key offices to produce potable drinking water directly from atmospheric moisture. The technology has a production capacity of 8,000 litres of fresh, mineralised water every day, catering to the hydration needs of nearly 4,200 employees in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and two locations in Chennai. The AWGs extract moisture from ambient air, convert it into water through a condensation process, and then pass it through multi-stage filtration and mineralisation to produce 100% microbe-free, safe drinking water. The units are designed to function year-round, operating in a wide range of temperatures (18°C to 45°C) and humidity levels (25% to 100%)— making them suitable across varied climatic zones. 'This initiative underscores our commitment to sustainability and reducing the environmental footprint of our operations,' said Soumendra Mattagajasingh, Group Chief Human Resources Officer at ICICI Bank. 'Our strategy follows the 4R principle: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Responsible disposal. The atmosphere holds several times more fresh water in vapour form than all rivers combined. By tapping into this abundant natural resource, we reduce our dependence on packaged water and support our long-term ESG vision.' A step towards carbon neutrality The installation of AWGs is aligned with ICICI Bank's broader Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy. The bank has set an ambitious target to achieve carbon neutrality for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by FY2032. Scope 1 emissions refer to direct emissions from sources owned or controlled by the bank, while Scope 2 emissions cover indirect emissions from purchased energy. As of March 31, 2024, over 180 ICICI Bank sites, covering 4.95 million sq. ft., are certified by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). The bank's Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) service centre was declared a Net Zero Waste site in FY2024. Additionally, ICICI Bank quadrupled its renewable energy usage to 75.73 million kWh in FY2024 from the previous year. Live Events Outside its own facilities, the bank is actively contributing to community-driven environmental programmes. Since FY2022, ICICI Bank has planted 3.7 million trees and created a water harvesting capacity of 25.8 billion litres annually across schools and community water bodies. Learn more about ICICI Bank's ESG initiatives:
