1 M E R E V I L L E T R U S T Mission Statement (COMPANY PROFILE) Mereville Trust was set up in February 1994 with the aim to contribute in its humble way to realize the ideal of Auroville. The values of Auroville underpin the functions of Mereville Trust. Raison d’être: Mereville Trust came into being and developed with the inspiration of Sri Aurobindo Ashram Pondicherry and Auroville. Auroville is an international city, the city of the future as envisioned by the Mother. The Trust works on quality production with full respect to human, material resources and the environment from its day of inception. It endeavours to achieve perfection and to excel in every aspect of entrepreneurship. It aspires to be a model of conscious business. It represents a communion of the spirit manifesting in the matter. The Trust aspires sincerely through its perfection in work and offers them to The Mother and Sri Aurobindo. Thus the Trust participates in the integral yoga which is the raison d’être of its existence. Natural Drive: Keeping in tune with an atmosphere of new global awareness, Auroville wants to be an ecologically advanced township. Auroville has gained national and international acclaim for its wasteland reclamation and re-forestation program resulting in more than 2500 acres of near desert and visibly dying ecology being transformed into a lush green area. Increasing attention has been given to the environmental impacts of human activity and sustainable development which improve the quality of life. Here everyone is given the opportunity of ‘happy work’, work that is productive, regenerative, creatively meaningful and holistic and in intrinsic harmony with nature. Mereville Trust sources its labor power from the nearby locality and works on empowering them in all respect – material, social, cultural, capacity building, educational and spiritual. It recognizes the spiritual presence in everything. The work environment and interpersonal relationship with its staff and workers are infused with spiritual atmosphere. In turn these terms are extended to their families, suppliers and customers naturally. Ethics: The first project undertaken by Mereville Trust was, ‘ Mereville Natural Incense ‘ which was an answer to the need of a good quality product, easily identifiable by its natural and mild fragrance. The distinguishing factor is that a major part of our series is made of natural powders and pure essential oil blends, while in a few commercial series we have maintained the level at 85% natural, with 15% of non-toxic synthetic blends. Through our renewing R&D efforts the percentage is slated to be reduced to a negligible 5% in the near future. The aim is to be wholly natural in all the products. Our main thrust, as a microcosmic part of the unique and organic experiment that is Auroville, will always be to evolve the natural prospective, paving the way for Quality over Quantity. 2 Beauty in Eco-Friendliness: Besides Mereville Natural Incense the Trust has cosmetic license for manufacturing eco-friendly products like soap, liquid soap, shampoo, and Ayurvedic preparations. A good care is taken particularly towards the aesthetic presentation of all aspects of every product. The paper used for packaging as well as our display boxes come from the handmade process of recycled cotton fibers, as well as other natural fibers such as rice, sugarcane, banana leaves, linen, silk, etc.. Each of these papers is unique in its appearance and reflects the simple beauty of nature renewing itself constantly. The Mereville products are being increasingly appreciated for their delicate and natural flavor and new projects are being developed as we evolve. Support to Auroville: One of our important aims is to provide economic support to Auroville with our contribution. With the building of our new unit in Auroville and the progressive growth of Mereville Trust, we have been steadily becoming more and more instrumental to make ourselves a self-supportive commercial unit as well as contributive to Auroville’s development. Aid Project: Auroville’s life is inextricably interwoven with the surrounding villages. Their well-being is a part of our own. In today’s Auroville interaction with villagers is spread among environmentalists, employers, educationists, healthcare providers, development workers and concerned individuals. Keeping in tune with the developmental work undertaken Mereville Trust has picked up its Aid Project as part of its intrinsic growth with various programs for the nearby villages. Special Features as a Unit of Auroville: Mereville Trust is a unit under Auroville Foundation, a statutory body set up under section 20(4) of Auroville Foundation Act – Indian Central Government Act No.54 of 1988. Mereville Trust makes regular monthly contribution to the Central Fund of Auroville. Auroville is the mother organization of Mereville Trust. It is also the mother organisation of numerous units and services under its umbrella. Mereville Trust is engaged in business generating income for Auroville like other business units that are also engaged in improvement, development and capacity building for the feeder labor force from villages in and around Auroville. Some examples can be cited about the activities rendered by Mereville’s sister organisations. Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research (SAIIER), a unit of Auroville is supporting education for village children. The Aikiyam School for Kuilapalayam village, Udavi School for Edayanchavady and Isaiambalam School for Kotakarai and Alankuppam villages serving the purpose. Ilaignarkal School in the centre of Auroville is educating the workers after their work hours developing their language, computer and other skills and Arulvazhi Education Center is doing the similar activities in Gorimed village. There are about eleven Evening Schools in different villages who are engaged in helping the children and adults in their after school and noncurricular activities. Auroville Consultancy and Aura Auro are engaged in capacity building of the workers. Auroville through its Health Centre, Village Action Group, Dental Clinic has a profound outreach programme to educate and empower the people around who contribute their labor and skill to the units and services of Auroville. Further Auroville is engaged in health and sanitation of the villages 3 around where its employees come from. Auroville also has been absorbing the upcoming generations of workers in different units and services. Mereville Trust is privileged to participate in this large community building programme with its monthly contributions. A minimum of 33% of its net profit is contributed to the Central Fund of Auroville. The Trust offers English classes and professional upgradation programmes for the workers. Since June 2004 Mereville has been voluntarily registered under Factory Act which guarantees the workers a minimum salary, allowances, provident funds, health care and other benefits as per Government rules applicable to medium and large scale industries. Each worker and staff of the Trust has been registered in ESI scheme and EPF. Besides above the Trust organises regular visits of health care professionals for the wellbeing of its employees. Policy: Mereville Trust has a policy to employ mainly women from economically weaker group to empower them and improve their life conditions and of their dependents. It does not discriminate any person, women or men, based on their nationality and/or colour. It supports its employees gradually to empower themselves economically and self supporting and to explore new avenues in their life. When any vacancy is created due to departure of the empowered employees we employs new employees from economically disadvantaged groups specially women for our production section. Mereville Trust responds to the directives of the Government of Tamil Nadu, Central Government, ideals of Auroville and the guidelines from the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO). It is needless to mention that requirements of Fair Trade India (FTI) and Fair Trade Asia Pacific are fulfilled. Though it is hard to maintain such a high and complex standard of this scale Mereville Trust enjoys achieving this goal. Celebrations: The Trust celebrates festivities like Pongal, Diwali, Saraswati Pooja etc. with full respect to the sentiments of all its employees with a fervor of dedication, offers gifts to them. The trust arranges annual excursion of their choice. Fair Trade Day is also celebrated in the Trust welcoming other nearby Fair Trade member bodies and offers gifts to all the participating FT members in the celebration. The Trust has good space for re-creational activities for its employees. This space includes a dining room, meeting hall, first-aid room, toilets and showers. It always tries to improve the existing facilities and to create more facilities as and when possibilities arise. The employees feel joy to work in this reverend company. Mereville Trust is an active member of The International Fair Trade Association (IFAT) since May 2000. Consequently it is also an active member of Fair Trade India (FTI), Fair Trade Asia Pacific (FTAP) and World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO). 4 Future plan: 1) To create a network of small handicraft units in the surrounding villages in order to develop their own potentialities, to connect them with the market and in the same time to radiate the concept and principles of Fair Trade. In this prospected endeavor Mereville is assuming the role of organizing their activities and providing them support, know-how and guide in the export formalities. 2) To cooperate with existing Fair Trade National & International organisations. 3) To set up a second unit for processing organic and bio-dynamic products like black tea, green tea, decaffeinated tea, herbal tea, coffee and spices. The trust foresees that new projects will contribute to create more employment opportunities, consolidate relationship with farmers already turned into Bio Agriculture and encourage others to follow the same direction. 4) To build up a Lab for research and experiments surrounded by a Botanical Garden for the organic cultivation of aromatic herbs, medicinal plants and rare trees. The Lab will be equipped with sophisticated machineries for lab test, herbal components extraction and preparation. 5) To carry on the business of merchants, importers, exporters, commission agents, forwarding agents, brokers, wharfingers in respect of any goods or services and to establish agencies or branches anywhere and to carry on the business of shipping agents of clearing agents. To continue to participate in international and local Trade Fairs and Fair Trade Organisations to promote the products of Mereville Trust and the products made in India.