Social impact that makes people and nature flourish

Through the Flourish programme, Ramboll and WWF-India have partnered to advance tiger conservation and community resilience in the Godavari River Landscape, Adilabad district, Telangana state. This region is ecologically rich, serving as a critical corridor for tigers and supporting diverse tribal communities such as the Gonds and Kolams, who share a deep, symbiotic relationship with the forest.

The project’s foundation is a participatory, community-driven approach. Ramboll and WWF-India conducted detailed village profiling across 30 forest-fringe villages, focusing on socio-economic dynamics, human-wildlife conflict, and cultural traditions. This groundwork enabled the development of tailored intervention strategies that respect local knowledge and foster co-ownership of conservation outcomes.

Key highlights include:

• Technology and data: over 2,100 camera traps were deployed, capturing more than two million images, and a satellite tracking collar was provided to the Telangana Forest Department to monitor tiger movements.
• Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up in, and establishment of, a joint Police and Forest task force to tackle wildlife crimes.
• Capacity building: more than 300 frontline staff and 45 police officers received specialised training, while 28 training sessions were conducted to build local capacity for conservation and conflict mitigation.
• Central Command Control Hub established for tiger and big cat monitoring, two Regional Tiger Monitoring cells in Tiger Reserves being established
• Community engagement: the team facilitated cattle-kill compensation payments, established a hotline for reporting incidents, and launched awareness campaigns. The first-ever Kawal Bird Festival was organized, engaging over 400 community members and scientists to celebrate local biodiversity.
• Wildlife-friendly agriculture: a framework for wildlife-friendly agriculture was developed, with pilots initiated to promote sustainable livelihoods and reduce pressure on forest resources.
• 24 Ramboll volunteers delivered almost 2,000 hours of volunteering.

Structural engineering for tiger conservation

A standout feature of Ramboll’s contribution is its engineering expertise in designing and reviewing wildlife crossings - overpasses and underpasses - on major highways (NH 363 and NH 61) within the tiger corridor. These structures are critical for maintaining habitat connectivity and reducing roadkill incidents, ensuring that tigers and other wildlife can safely traverse fragmented landscapes.

Ramboll’s involvement goes beyond technical design to includes on-the-ground assessment, collaboration with local authorities, and advocacy for improved monitoring and adaptive management. By integrating ecological considerations into infrastructure projects, Ramboll demonstrates how engineering solutions can directly support conservation goals and long-term biodiversity outcomes.

Delivering lasting impact

The WWF-India Flourish programme exemplifies Ramboll’s commitment to social value, combining technical expertise, community engagement, and cultural sensitivity to deliver lasting impact for people and nature. By fostering trust, building capacity, and supporting innovative solutions, the project is creating a blueprint for community-inclusive conservation that can be replicated across other landscapes.

Through its partnership with Engineers Without Borders (EWB) in the UK, Ramboll is advancing globally responsible engineering. This collaboration centres on the Systems Change Labs, global design challenges, and direct volunteer engagement, empowering engineers to become changemakers and supporting the transformation of engineering education and practice.

Integrated approach and key activities

The partnership is based on a collaborative, system-driven approach. In 2025, Ramboll volunteers played a pivotal role in the EWB UK Systems Change Lab, which mobilised a diverse community to reimagine the future of engineering. Over 250 changemakers from 45 universities and more than 100 companies participated, with Ramboll volunteers co-facilitating workshops, leading task groups, and shaping the Lab’s four-phase journey: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver.

Key highlights include:

• Systems Change Lab: More than 250 changemakers joined the Lab, focusing on policy, standards, roles, values, and education. The Lab’s work influenced national consultations and set the agenda for the future of engineering in the UK.
• Engineering for People Design Challenge: Ramboll volunteers reviewed 133 student design-solutions for community-rooted challenges in South Africa, contributing to a globally responsible engineering education.
• Efficiency for Access Design Challenge: 691 students from 42 universities across 18 countries explored technology for clean energy access. Ten volunteers mentored teams and reviewed student designs, helping strengthen their interest in technology for climate-resilience.
• Award-Winning Impact: The Engineering for People Design Challenge, supported by Ramboll, won Silver at the international QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025.
• Broadening impact: The collaboration throughout 2024–25 has supported our work with EWB UK in shaping the next phase following the Systems Change Lab, helping to lay the foundations for the Lab’s evolution into a formal movement in 2026. This partnership has also created a platform for exploring international collaboration, beginning with engagement with EWB East Africa to support the development of a holistic change programme in partnership with local government.
• 68 Ramboll volunteers delivered +1,100 hours of their time in 2025.

Commitment to creating social value

The Engineers Without Borders partnership exemplifies Ramboll’s commitment to social value: combining technical expertise, systems thinking, and community engagement to deliver lasting impact for people and the planet. By fostering innovation, building capacity, and supporting globally responsible engineering, Ramboll and EWB are creating a blueprint for transformative change that can be replicated across the sector.