HCLFoundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Urban Development Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, on July 9, 2026, to advance sustainable waste management practices in Hardoi, Prayagraj, and Agra. This partnership aligns with the Swachh Bharat Mission and aims to improve urban sanitation through strategic planning, pilot projects, policy reforms, and IT-enabled solutions. The collaboration leverages institutional strength and implementation expertise to accelerate urban transformation in these cities.

As part of the My Clean City program, HCLFoundation donated 10 E-drain carts and 10 E-garbage loaders to the Hardoi Nagar Palika Parishad. Three reverse vending machines were unveiled, and city beautification efforts through wall art have been undertaken. The Foundation plans to develop three markets and three wards in Hardoi as model markets and model wards.

The My Clean City program, launched in 2018, has significantly impacted urban sanitation in Noida and Greater Noida. To date, the program has sensitized nearly 750,000 citizens on positive waste behavior and trained over 100,000 stakeholders in waste management practices. More than 22,000 tons of waste have been managed, and over 3,500 school students have been engaged through the MCC Waste Champions Club.

Alok Varma, Project Director, Samuday and My Clean City, HCLFoundation, stated that the partnership will strengthen efforts in the three new cities where the program expanded in FY26. Anuj Kumar Jha (IAS), Secretary, Urban Development Department, emphasized that the collaboration will help build cleaner, healthier, and sustainable cities across the state through innovative models.

HCLFoundation delivers the corporate social responsibility agenda of HCL Technologies in India. The Foundation focuses on education, health, skill development, environment, and disaster risk reduction, positively impacting over 8.5 million lives to date.

My Clean City Program Impact

HCLTech has achieved the ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification for its Enterprise Artificial Intelligence Management System (AIMS), validating its capability to support enterprises in scaling AI adoption with robust governance and operational rigor. Issued by Schellman Compliance, LLC, an accredited body recognized by the ANSI National Accreditation Board and a member of the International Accreditation Forum, the certification covers the company's AI lifecycle processes. This includes support for AI-enabled services such as the flagship AI Force platform, software engineering, IT operations and business process services.

The certification affirms HCLTech 's enterprise-wide framework for the responsible development, deployment and governance of AI. The AIMS framework is designed to align with evolving global regulatory requirements, including the EU AI Act. ISO/IEC 42001:2023 is the world's first international standard for AI management systems, published by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission.

Governance and Operational Rigor

The standard establishes a comprehensive framework for managing AI across the full system lifecycle, addressing risk management, transparency, fairness, accountability and continuous improvement. By securing this certification, HCLTech aims to demonstrate disciplined governance as organizations move from AI experimentation to enterprise adoption.

Strategic Impact

Vijay Guntur, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Ecosystems at HCLTech, stated that the certification reflects the company's commitment to building and delivering AI responsibly at scale. He added that the independent assurance reinforces the company's ability to support clients in deploying AI with confidence. Avani Desai, Chief Executive Officer of Schellman, noted that the certification signifies the embedding of Responsible AI governance into daily business operations.