Advertising was seen as one way of widening the scope of the dialogue. Thus was born `The Profits & Principles Ad campaign.' The global campaign, handled by J Walter Thompson, was made on a budget of $ 25 million. The entire campaign has been made available to all the 135 Shell offices worldwide on a CD-ROM. Every Shell subsidiary is free to implement it in the best suitable manner.

In India, the campaign is essentially being splashed in print. It has been used in ads in the business media publications like Business India, Business Today and also India Today since July 1999. These will run till November 1999.A global TV campaign is being planned for next year.

``The campaign is not designed to sell Shell products and services. It aims at telling people how we conduct our business and reassure them publicly of our commitment to the principles of sustainable development and contribution to social progress,'' says Mark Moody Stuart, chairman, Royal Dutch/ Shell group of companies, in a Shell publication.

Each ad in the campaign acknowledges and explores one of the complex areas identified in the company's engagement and research. The entire campaign is planned to be interactive and opinions have been sought from the public at its website jiwww.shell.comjr or e-mail at jitell.shell@si.shell.com.jr What triggered off the effort was a global research exercise conducted by the company between 1994 and 1996 to study the common perception about the group-both business-related and image-related.

Findings revealed that the company needed to improve the communication of its involvement in preserving the environment,and its efforts in balancing the economics of its business with environmental care and social responsibility.

Following this, Shell, for the first time, published an external document: `Profits & Principles: Does there have to be a choice?' in April 1998 and followed it up with a second document `People, Planet & Profit: An act of commitment' in April 1999. Both documents were circulated among key influencers in government, industry and media.

The core theme running through the Profits and Principles ad campaign is the importance of sustainable development, the need to be aware of environmental issues, irrespective of the nature of one's business. It touches on issues like bio-diversity, alternative energy sources, global warming, and issues that affect the community at large.

Globally, in 1997, Shell earmarked a $ 500-million budget over five years for its renewable energy programme to develop alternative energy sources commercially. Its Indian arm, Shell Renewable India was set up in April 1999. Itconcentrates on three areas: solar electricity, forestry and biomass power generation.

Also on the cards are energy seminars and exhibitions. Beginning with Delhi, exhibitions will be held in schools, aimed at initiating debates and awareness on subjects like sustainable development.

Besides this, posters are being put up at the 17 bus stops designed and maintained by Shell India under its Community Development Programme, with a budget of $100,000. The bus stops sport the company logo and helplines. The company is targeting Gujarat next.

The company also helps maintain a fleet of Student Traffic Volunteers to help traffic police in traffic management. In the age group of 18-24 years, these volunteers are given training at the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE) and a stipend. At present there are 40 volunteers in Delhi and the company has received feelers from Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Jaipur.