Brands
Hyundai Motor India Foundation creates one of Maharashtra’s largest urban forests
MUMBAI: Hyundai Motor India Foundation has turned a barren stretch near Talegaon, Pune, into one of Maharashtra’s largest urban forests, planting one million trees across 90.5 acres in less than a year.
Developed under the IONIQ Forest initiative, the project uses the Miyawaki method to create a dense, fast-growing forest of 41 native species, positioning it among the country’s most ambitious single-site afforestation drives.
The effort began with ground preparation in May 2025, followed by a mass plantation drive on World Environment Day in June. The forest was formally inaugurated in September by Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of Maharashtra. Each tree has been geo-tagged and linked to a QR code, allowing real-time monitoring and transparency in upkeep.
Puneet Anand, avp and vertical head – corporate affairs, corporate communication and social at Hyundai Motor India Limited, said the project went beyond planting trees. “This is about building a greener and more sustainable future by combining environmental restoration with community empowerment. Planting one million trees at a single location in under a year underlines Hyundai’s commitment to climate action and responsible growth in Maharashtra,” he said.
The forest is projected to absorb around 63,000 tonnes of CO₂ over the next five years, while improving biodiversity and strengthening climate resilience in the region. More than 150 members of local tribal communities have been engaged in plantation and maintenance work, linking ecological restoration with sustainable livelihoods.
Once established, the site is expected to evolve into a living classroom for schools and local communities, promoting environmental awareness and hands-on learning.
The project is part of Hyundai’s broader Rs 56 crore CSR commitment in Maharashtra, spanning environment, healthcare, road safety and community development.
From cleared land to carbon sink in under a year, Hyundai’s IONIQ Forest shows how scale, speed and sustainability can grow together.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
