Start-ups don't have to equate social responsibility with writing large cheques, says MakeMyTrip CEO Deep Kalra

Online travel company MakeMyTrip recently revealed what it does with the Rs 5 contribution that customers make while making bookings on the platform. The company announced that it has supported the plantation of over one million trees over the last ten years in Rajasthan with its NGO partner, Seva Mandir.

Excerpts of an interview with MakeMyTrip founder and Group CEO Deep Kalra:

Sustainability is not the word associated with new economy internet companies in India. What made MakeMyTrip start thinking about it ten years ago?
I have always believed that every organisation, irrespective of size, can be used as a force to do some good in the world. Contributing to the well-being of communities or the environment we operate in doesn’t have to be the preserve of super-sized corporations or global business behemoths alone. As India’s one-stop travel shop, we felt it was incumbent on us to promote responsible travel.

Today, with the tiny contribution that some of our customers make while doing travel bookings with us, along with employee and the organisation’s contribution, we have managed to plant over a million trees in Rajasthan. This is a unique example of corporate-community partnership to make social impact. We are glad that we decided to dive right in, just a few years into our journey as a business.

Can startups put purpose before profit?
It is possible to put purpose front and centre if you don’t equate social responsibility with writing large cheques. If you want to commit to a cause, you can start small. Use your operations, involve stakeholders — be it employees, customers, local communities or all of them. Choosing right partners is a very important aspect when it comes to social responsibility because you may not have it all that is needed to do the job. We have experienced how this kind of initiative energises the workforce, especially if you are working with millennials and Gen Z who wish to work with purposeled brands. We have also witnessed how customers want to partner with brands to help make a difference. So, the belief that you can make an impact beyond core business has nothing to do with whether you are a startup or an MNC.

What’s the business case for a company as young as MakeMyTrip to start thinking about CSR?
While revenue growth and profit maximisation are important markers for businesses, taking care of the environment we operate in is critical for long-term value creation. And that is just how it is, whether you are a big business or small. In the context of pollution-choked Delhi, I have often said that it doesn’t matter if your business has any impact on quality of the air you breathe, but the quality of air can have an impact on your business. While companies can have passion projects, to really move the needle, you have to make a sustained effort.

What is the one thing you wish more companies would step forward to do?
There is no dearth of issues that one can commit to care for. If you are running a business out of Delhi, I am sure the air pollution worries you. If you are running a business out of Bengaluru, I am sure frothing lakes and what it does to the ground water bothers you. While building this program that would allow our customers as well as employees to be a part of the solution, we wanted to make sure we commit ourselves to drive something that is incumbent on a travel company of the size and aspiration we are. The same way, I would wish for more and more companies to step up and think about ways in which they can make an impact beyond the immediate.