1897 Our Foundation Story
Our group began, as you all know
127 years ago.
It started with our illustrious founder
We couldn't have had anyone sounder.
Now Mahatma Gandhi was a friend.
And self-rule then, the future trend.
Ardeshir once just pointed out
That he still had a serious doubt
That profound economic dependence
Might preclude our independence.
A point the Mahatma then conceded
But rather promptly he proceeded
To turn the tables on his friend
And asked him to work to that end.
And so, he started up his venture
Which proved to be some adventure.
Ardeshir’s focus was invention
His single-minded intention
Was proving that he could do it.
He could succeed and he knew it.
For Indian goods could be the best
Surpass the British by every test.
His surgical instruments didn’t endure
They didn’t prove to be a cure.
His locks, however could secure
Peoples homes and that’s for sure.
The Godrej Group was on its way.
And we are here to this day.
He scorned the thought of protection.
And chose to prevail by perfection.
And that, he knew he could achieve.
His customers could all perceive
His products were the very best
And constantly put to the test.
To greater heights he would aspire
His safes survived ordeal by fire.
Once, in the harbour, a ship exploded.
Though outer walls of safes eroded,
The inner contents were all intact.
And even when thieves attacked
They could barely pit and dent,
Sometimes, the plates were slightly bent.
But the safes would never break
And so, the thieves could never take
Any goods his safes had secured.
For years and years his fame endured.
1918 Chavi Bar soap from Vegetable Oil
There was no limit to his scope.
He worked as hard in tackling soap.
For many years he tried his hand
Until he could well understand
The ins and outs of making soap.
To vegetarians he gave hope.
The other makers were all callow
And made their soaps from lard and tallow,
Not prime but rendered in the street
With the stink of rotten meat.
But thanks to his determined toil
Fine soap could now be made from oil.
Chavi Bar was on its way
Godrej Soaps saw the light of day.
1919 No. 2 and No.1
Once he mastered laundry Soap
Toilet Soap was in his scope.
He started of with No. 2.
By intuition he just knew,
If No. 2 got good traction,
No. 1 would have a great reaction.
And No. 1 was good news
The brand today is still in use!
And now we’ve gone our separate ways
But hope to see even better days!
From soap we went in different directions
And GIG has many companies and sections.
1921 Tilak Swaraj Fund
He contributed to the rise of the nation
And most of all by innovation.
But whenever any help was sought
He also gave financial support.
A major contribution was done
By Ardeshir in 1921
3 lakhs is the sum we see
The Tilak Swaraj Fund the beneficiary.
With destiny this was a tryst.
Ardeshir definitely topped the list.
Mahatma Gandhi made this claim.
This greatly added to our fame.
1922 Gandhi Letter
A potential competitor thought
An endorsement could be sought.
But Gandhi thought otherwise
He couldn’t proffer this coveted prize.
His brother Godrej was held in high esteem
Anything that hurt him would therefore seem
Completely beyond the pale.
Gandhi’s blessings he couldn’t avail!
1951 Ballot Boxes
As nation building was our goal
Post independence we played a role.
A mechanism for selection
Is a requisite of an election.
We therefore moved from safes and locks
To provide the ballot box.
1.7 million were needed
In providing all we succeeded!
1952 Cinthol Soap
My father then brought new hope
To the Science of making soap.
Technology was his inspiration
His focus was on innovation.
In Berlin he got his education
At a convulsive time for the German nation.
He talked of how in '36
He attended the historic Olympics.
Jesse Owens' amazing feat
Was a very special treat.
Diversity was then buoyed
And Aryan supremacy destroyed.
And we will always stand quite tall
If we include one and all.
Lots of theory as well as some
Good factory visits and practicum.
Papa really knew his stuff
And then the going became rough.
For the Indian students all was fine
Until the middle of '39.
The writing then was on the wall.
The Indian students got a call.
The War was clearly on the way.
They had to leave one fateful day.
War was declared on Germany,
As his ship was sailing on the sea,
As Papa always used to state,
On 3-9-39 the memorable date!
His thesis then was incomplete
But instead he could achieve the feat
Of putting thoughts into action
And he quickly got real traction.
From fatty acid he made soap
He realised his long held hope.
He played a very significant part
In turning an arcane art
Into something very nice
A science that's much more precise.
He gained much joy while he was pitting
His science against the art of "fitting".
Which sometimes worked & sometimes failed
And all but the experienced merely flailed!
As his solution then to fitting
Was continuous fat splitting.
An added benefit was seen,
The production of good glycerine.
Then Lifebuoy used phenol in soap
Alas the germicidal hope
Proved to be an illusion
Thanks to simple confusion.
Phenol alone could kill germs well
But as any chemist could easily tell
Acidic phenol in an alkaline soap
Had no real germicidal scope.
Givaudan then provided real hope
G-11 would really work in soap.
Tata were approached and declined to bite
But Papa of course had the foresight.
And Cinthol proved to be a boon
Doctors prescribed it very soon.
The perfume he chose was a fougère
It's top note was just like fresh air.
And loyal users all still swear
It's the only soap for which they care.
Consumer brands rapidly change
But we still find it very strange
How Papa got it first time right
With any change consumers fight!
No matter what we try instead
They want the green brick wrapped in red!
1963 Move to Vikhroli
The Delisle Rd. factory was constricted
Our prospects there were quite restricted.
The move to Vikhroli gave us space
We entered the oleochemicals race.
And as the leaders we soon played
And BPG quite quickly made
Stearic acid of a cosmetic grade
Not as usually done in the trade
By the laborious method of triple pressing
You see Papa didn't believe in messing
Around. His one step inspiration
Was fractional distillation.
Oleochemicals we begin to see
Starting from 1963.
1974 Hair Dye
Soap for many years we see
But then it’s time for a new category
There were many things one could try.
We succeeded with liquid hair dye.
And now for us hair care,
Has a really major share.
1986 Fatty Alcohol and Surfactants
Now long ago BPG had seen
The benefits of alpha olefin.
An industry wide proposal was made.
Unfortunately it was down played.
The technology fee was rejected
And Papa was most dejected.
But he could never say die
Again and again he would try.
His persistence was undoubtedly great
And Lurgi then helped him to innovate.
An Oleochemical process was found
Although the economics weren't sound.
We went through some trials and tribulations
And our profits went through many gyrations
But fatty alcohols came into our fold.
And now we are quite happy, truth be told!
Our Valia Oleochemicals steadily grew
With many products entirely new.
1988 TQM
We needed to turn a new page
Japanese methods were all the rage.
Their policies are very wise
They help the quality to rise.
There is no real cost at all.
With efficiency, expenses fall.
Our people are our real strength
We know they’ll go to any length.
And TQM and TPM
Are perfect for involving them.
We treat them all with great respect
For any gender, group or sect.
And any problem can be solved
If all our people are involved.
Not only did the quality rise
All of us became wise.
Strikes became a thing of the past.
Continuous improvement still does last.
The progress was very steady
For liberalisation we were ready.
1990
Our move into Real Estate
Was a conscious decision.
Arising from a clear vision
That the Godrej brand could provide
A cure for the shortcomings decried
By all and quite rightly so.
As a result, we could quickly grow
And will surely continue to do so
If we persist with what we know
Is right and maintain the trust
Of customers through boom and bust.
Godrej Properties is growing fast
And we will ensure that this will last.
1991 Godrej Agrovet incorporated
1970s Animal Feed
The portfolio looks diversified
But much of what we have tried
Was something that we slipped into.
For animal feed this proved quite true.
In the 1970s for compound feed
No one seemed to see a need.
Then Buhler sought out L & T
Together they had tried to see,
If any market might exist.
There were no takers on their list.
Thus, forced to make a clean swipe
They were then left with a prototype.
A discount customer was sought
And Adi was the one who bought.
This decision played a part
In our agribusiness start!
1980s Oil Palm
Import duties then were high
And palm oil duty scraped the sky.
We quickly seized the opportunity
Of introducing the Oil Palm tree.
And at that time the DBT
Served as the nodal agency
And Godrej was the biggest player
Then everyone was a naysayer
But after the commodity boom
The business did begin to zoom.
1980s Agrochemicals
When Triacontanol came on the scene.
Our R&D was very keen.
With rice bran wax they did proceed
And very soon they could succeed.
This step was very bold.
Growth regulators came into our fold.
Later NCL could provide
A process for Homobrassinolide.
When there was a tallow ban
In desperation we had to scan
For an alternative fat or oil.
After much research and toil
Some success could be seen
As minor oils came on the scene.
These could be used if purified
Deodourisation was often tried.
The tricky chemicals thus removed
Quite fortuitously then proved
To be agrochemicals par excellence.
We very quickly grabbed the chance
To expand this exciting field
And help the farmers improve their yield.
Now over the years, truth be told,
Different agribusinesses came into our fold.
In 1991 they were incorporated
Godrej Agrovet was created!
We will expand our R&D
Improving farm productivity.
And ensure our farmers do survive
And very soon we hope they’ll thrive.
1994 Transelektra
Mosquitoes are a real pain
Solutions had been tried in vain.
Transelektra came on the scene.
To solve the problem Mohan was keen.
Japanese technology he could wield
GoodKnight was the armour and shield!
But Mohan one day had a spark
In movies, he wanted to make a mark.
Transelektra was on the block.
Hindustan Lever quickly took stock.
90 Crore was the price agreed.
But Unilever’s approval was the need.
The offer looked like it might wither
As Headquarters chose to dither.
By the Indian company Jugad was sought.
They felt this battle should be fought.
Banks were sought to fill the breach
Till the CEO could reach
An understanding with his boss.
But Mohan didn’t give a toss.
“Just find me another buyer
I don’t need a price that’s any higher.”
So Uday Kotak came to Adi.
One week, the time we had to study.
The opportunity was there to see
But risk mitigation was clearly
A burning necessity.
In lieu of due diligence
Adi used his intelligence.
He found a truly unique way
5% he sold to Uday
And 5% to Transelektra’s MD.
They could clearly see the scope.
Their confidence, gave us hope!
But that indeed was not all.
Adi took another call.
Within a year he sold to Sara Lee
A 51% majority
For the same price that he had paid
For the whole. In effect Adi made
A deal that eliminated any risk.
His decision making was very brisk.
A 49 % stake was on show
For an amazing zero net flow!
Years later when Sara Lee quit
We bought back what was their bit.
Merged GCPL and GSL
And found that synergies did well!
Kudos of course to dear Adi
My loving brother and best buddy!
2015 Astec
An opportunity was caught.
From the receiver a plant was bought.
Thus Astec Life Sciences was born
And that indeed was the dawn
Of a new and glorious day
As Astec was on its way!
One of Ashok’s significant roles
Was to master triazoles.
And now he can take great pride
In being the King of Fungicide!
From those beginnings in ‘94
Astec aspired to do much more.
The next generation weren’t so inclined
Ashok then had to find
A buyer for all he had built.
No one knew which way he’d tilt.
Then Godrej bought a major share
And don’t you think it would be fair
To state it worked out rather well
As anyone can quickly tell
With just a glance at the share price.
The growth rate has been rather nice!
Much investment we now see
In both new plants and R&D.
The future now looks very bright
Greater heights are now in sight.
Much investment we now see
In both new plants and R&D.
Last year the going was very rough
The Propi and Tebu markets were tough.
At the end of the tunnel there’s shimmering light
The future now looks very bright.
2001
Uday Kotak always played a role
In helping us achieve our goal.
In Transelektra he was the key
But a major role we also see
In the restructuring of Godrej Soaps.
His analysis raised our hopes.
According to financial arts
Our sum was smaller than the parts!
If two new companies,
Is what one finally sees,
The combined value could be higher
As each would be a high flyer!
This bright idea Uday sold well,
Creating GIL, GCPL!
Both companies were right on track.
And after that we didn’t look back.
2001Global leap to UK
Exports had always been there
But foreign forays were rather rare.
For many years that was fine
Until we bought into Keyline.
The new Millennium was a new day
Our global journey was on its way.
At first it was merely UK
A beginning and a segue!
That acquisition made us bold
So others came into our fold.
2008
From Keyline founders we got a mail
That Rapidol was up for sale.
So the Keyline acquisition lead
To our steady global spread.
The brand name was somewhat strange
But hair straightening came in our range.
And Africa played a major role in
In our emerging market goal.
2010 Indonesia
While GoodKnight was a gentle soul
Our Hit met the warrior goal.
Our Indian trade marks were all there
But negligently we didn’t care
To go and register them abroad.
Our insular th was rather flawed
A German visitor thought it fit
To use our striking brand name Hit.
He benefited from our amnesia
And grew his business in Indonesia.
When he reached retirement age
He decided to turn a new page.
A good opportunity we could avail
Once the business was up for sale.
Indonesia came in our fold
And we were happy, truth be told
We’ve gone far from that early start
Indonesia now plays a major part.
2010 Argentina
In the same year we went both East and West
The expansion was a major test.
We slowly went to many nations
Had our trials and tribulations.
Our Indian learnings translated well.
The net results as you can tell
On the whole are pretty good.
The developing world it’s understood
To India’s expertise will yield
This indeed is our field.
Soon we will clearly see
A developing world company.
2011 Good and Green
And here I think that we all ought to
Pay careful heed to Michael Porter.
With Shared Value there's no cost
For doing good as nothing's lost.
All it takes is a thinking brain
To remove a societal pain
And combine it with a business gain
To create a sustainable chain
Of endless mutual benefit.
This concept is a tremendous hit.
We thought that we should also try
And see if we could apply
This philosophy to our group
Our employees also joined the loop.
In the year 2010
Studies were commissioned and then
With the help of Dasra and FSG
Our new program, one could see.
We aptly named it Good and Green
And what a journey it has been!
And how do we define our role
What could be a proper goal?
Now the UN has a lengthy list,
So, in recounting, some would be missed!
So, I will focus on just three
That I think would be the key
For all the others to fall in place
And enable us to win the race.
Good health through perfect sanitation,
Environment and education.
All of these can be seen
In our program Good and Green.
For society we do our bit
But we also benefit.
Farmers gain from better yield
And buy our products for the field.
Beauticians gain a livelihood
As good practices are understood.
Occasionally they would select
Our products and we could elect
To co-create what customers need
Together we would all succeed.
The biggest bane of our nation
Is very poor sanitation
In time of course we will do more
But to begin we did secure
Clean water in every operation.
We'll contribute to the elimination
Of Malaria and Dengue in our nation.
And our products will help sanitation.
It is no longer Climate Change
Within a tolerable range.
A crisis is what it’s about
With fires, floods as well as drought.
Every week a constant blast
Far worse than seen in the past.
If we must, we will adapt
Prevention though would be more apt.
There is a cost to adaptation,
It’s rising fast in every nation
As well as for the world at large.
This will be a heavy charge.
In fact, we should all conclude
Prevention would be really shrewd.
In practice it would cost much less
And avoid a lot of stress.
All industry should play a role
In the carbon neutral goal.
GHG emissions should be reduced
More green energy should be produced.
And so, without partiality
Our goal for all's neutrality.
Whether water, carbon or solid waste
And very soon we will make haste
To make our net emissions zero.
Will that make the group a hero?
In 2010 the goal looked tall
But we took a reasoned call
Technology would save the day.
So far it has turned out that way.
To achieve these goals, we will strive
To do it all by 2035.
As technology takes a leap
Green energy gets very cheap.
Keen observers quickly saw
That Solar also tracks Moore's law.
Whether groundnut shell or bagasse
Our India's full of biomass.
At first, we thought we'd have to spend
But that's not true, for in the end,
The more we thought and the more we slaved
We did invest but we also saved.
And solar is still getting cheaper
And as we start digging deeper
In India it will hit the goal
Of being cheaper than even coal
In just a handful of years.
Already we and our peers
Are sourcing solar electricity
At lower rates than from the utility.
For quite some time we've been extorted
As their finances aren't still sorted.
A silver lining can be seen,
Since it incentivises green.
Offsets help elimination
And rural electrification
With distributed solar power
Is now the need of the hour.
Our cost of water is not so high
Therefore we attempt to try
To reduce our water consumption
But all the same it's a safe assumption
Our water use won't disappear
And so, to be neutral, I fear,
We will have to mitigate.
Though fortunately I can state
That developing a watershed
Doesn't cost much and instead
Our agribusiness can benefit.
The government will do its bit
But where it fails, we'll fill the breach
And hopefully we will reach
Many farmers on the cheap
But the benefits that we reap
Will compensate for the cost
And once again nothing's lost.
There are many paths that we can see
For achieving Carbon neutrality.
But the cheapest way is certainly
Through energy efficiency.
Real interest rates are rather low
And high returns quickly flow
From any energy saving device.
For business this is very nice.
Not only are returns quite brisk,
There’s also very little risk.
In India mandated CSR
Can help us go very far.
Multiple benefits are what one sees
With water projects or growing trees.
Good livelihoods are created
Our carbon emissions are abated.
Trees planted at a river’s source
Maintain the flow throughout its course.
So many benefits we can see:
The preservation of biodiversity,
Different species can be tried.
Useful products can be supplied
Like biomass or edible fruits
And yet the trunk and the roots
Can sequester carbon, clean the air,
A win-win that is very fair.
So, while we decarbonise
Why not also monetise.
So never fall for either or.
Our hearts and minds demand much more.
2011 Darling
Our Africa footprint was rather weak
But then there was a useful tweak.
Kinky as a brand was rather offbeat
Darling of course sounds much more sweet.
What you should understand
Is not only did we buy a brand,
With this stroke that was bold,
14 nations came into our fold.
In Africa we could reach scale.
We couldn’t always smoothly sail.
But once we get our strategy right
Our African future will be bright!
2011 Godrej Culture Lab
2012 Godrej LOUD
Both help our employee brand
There is always much to cheer
When Godrej gives you a career.
Since we are a conglomerate
The opportunities are great.
FMCG, Real Estate
Chemicals and Agri are on our plate.
We have a wide geographic slate-
In eighteen nations we operate.
Choose your colours, choose your light,
Paint your canvas very bright.
Sometimes the going will be rough
We'll love you but our love is tough!
We'll guide you and make sure you grow.
Good benefits will surely flow.
But high performers for sure
Will always get a little more.
In order to achieve our goal
We need each one to be whole.
Not guided by any fashion
But by your own inner passion.
Diversity is our strength
And we will go to any length
To support a different view
Whether shared by many or by few.
We choose those who are well grounded
And want them to be well rounded.
Through Culture Lab you will find
New ways to expand your mind.
Our people now are very proud
That we provide them with LOUD
It stands for Live Out Ur Dream.
We finance the winning theme
And all the winners are so thrilled
To get a chance at being fulfilled.
So come to us, become a part.
Indulge your mind, indulge your heart.
2013 Padma Bhushan
Adi Godrej could ably steer
The Godrej Group year after year.
In industry associations he played a role
And helped them achieve every goal.
One achievement that was truly great
Was providing them good real estate.
He did it for SEA as well as CLFMA
And lead CII and ISTMA.
His contribution was immense
And so it made perfect sense,
He received the Padma Bhushan award
And all of us did applaud!
2015 Godrej One
The Chemicals business chose a new path
And moved from Vikhroli to Ambernath
It opened up new opportunities
Now space was available for “The Trees”.
Not just Real Estate, the entire group
Was brought into the loop!
Our new Head Quarters Godrej One
Contrasting shade along side sun.
An iconic building with a practical side.
Environmental solutions were applied.
Comfort as well as Platinum LEAD.
An atmosphere where we can succeed.
Housing and commercial came by and by
An excellent hotel one also sees
The final step Taj The Trees.
In this complex, everything’s found:
Beauty, comfort, environmentally sound.
The values of the past show us the way
But we are ever ready for the future day!
2016 Godrej Fund Management
In every large city we are known to build
Our new projects are quickly filled.
Our model was mostly build and sell.
We thought we could also do well
If we first build, retain and rent
On this new model Pirojsha was bent.
Godrej Fund Management was the way.
For the Group the dawning of a new day.
GFM will steadily grow
Complementary benefits will continue to flow!
I
2020
If finance is in our fold
More houses then, can be sold.
In the group we can now see
A full-fledged finance company.
Godrej Capital has done plenty
Since it started in 2020.
Greater progress is in sight
The future will be very bright.
2023 Godrej DEI
And in all businesses, we should see
The broadest reach of diversity.
Not only is it fair and right.
It would give us the best insight.
Since life is full of many hard knocks
We need to think out of the box.
Diversity’s the perfect aid
When we are required to wade
Through troubled waters or quagmires
Unusual thought is what inspires!
Diversity is easier said than done.
Over time it can be won.
The DEI Lab has the role
Of helping us pursue this goal.
Parmesh Shahani takes the lead
They will help us to succeed.
Parmesh indeed is truly fab
No matter what the lab.
India Culture or DEI
Parmesh helps us to fly.
Conclusion
Thus, many engines will help to fire
The growth to which we now aspire.
And hence our future will be bright
If we always keep in sight
That our founder took a noble call
And our founding story says it all.
There was purpose, there were values.
For us this is the greatest news.
We always helped to build the nation
And believed in innovation.
These always helped us in the past.
And they will ensure that we last.
