AU Small Finance Bank Celebrates Van Mahotsav with Tree Plantation Drive in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD, INDIA — In a significant push toward environmental sustainability and community engagement, AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) organized a mega tree plantation drive in Hyderabad. The initiative was executed through the bank’s dedicated Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm, the AU Foundation, aligning with the Ministry of Education’s progressive “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 3.0” campaign.

The primary objective of the drive is to foster ecological balance while actively instilling environmental accountability within local communities.

Leadership and On-Ground Implementation
The Hyderabad edition of the Van Mahotsav celebrations was spearheaded by Phani Shankar, Independent Director of AU SFB. The event took place at the Basil Woods Nature School located in Ghatkesar, Hyderabad. Phani Shankar, alongside the school management, faculty, and enthusiastic student participants, actively planted saplings across the institutional premises to mark the occasion.

Nationwide Campaign Scale and Milestones
The tree plantation drive is part of a larger, month-long national environmental campaign. Launched on July 1, 2026, the structural campaign is scheduled to run through July 31, 2026, across the bank’s wide operational network.

Key performance and outreach highlights of the ongoing campaign include:

Expansive Geographic Reach: The green initiative spans 21 states and 4 Union Territories across India.

Localized Branch Action: More than 580 AU SFB branches are actively participating by coordinating planting drives in regional schools and public community spaces.

Targeted Planting Metrics: The banking institution has successfully planted over 5,000 saplings nationwide under this phase.

Sustainable Awareness: To promote ecological awareness, the bank has distributed over 12,000 specially designed seed-paper certificates to participants.

Institutional Commitment to Ecological Legacies
Highlighting the importance of early environmental education and corporate governance in climate action, Phani Shankar stated:

“Environmental responsibility begins with small, deliberate actions. The saplings planted by students today will mature into a permanent, living legacy for future generations.”

The bank further emphasized that this drive reflects its core organizational commitment to environmental conservation. Demonstrating executive dedication, similar large-scale plantation drives are being carried out in six separate states, directly led by various members of the bank’s Board of Directors to maximize regional community impact.