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Visitors to the British Museum in the heart of London's Bloomsbury district might be forgiven for thinking that they have taken a wrong turning when they enter the 250 year old building's forecourt.

From coconut palms to Himalayan walnut plants, mango trees to Himalayan blue poppies, holy basil shrubs and banyan trees, the forecourt has been transformed into an Indian landscape.

The gardens, from the subtropical regions in the south through the temperate forest to the rocky alpine region of the Himalayas, are part of HSBC's summer long celebration of Indian culture. The bank is also sponsoring Indian Summer, a season of exhibitions and events at the British Museum, including Garden and Cosmos: the royal paintings of Jodhpur, which showcases 56 paintings that have never been displayed in Europe before.

The sponsorship is the latest initiative under HSBC's Cultural Exchange Programme, which was introduced in December 2007 and is 'the heart and soul of what we do globally', according to head of cultural sponsorship Marah Winn-Moon. 'Cultural Exchange is about providing people with the opportunity to look again at a culture they may think they know.'

A public programme of films, lectures and workshops, family days and school visits have also been built around the Indian exhibition to 'give people more of a flavour and experience of what India is like', adds Winn-Moon.

Discussions with the British Museums began 'three or four years ago' on ways the two organisations could work together. 'I am not interested in a shopping list of exhibitions that we are asked to sponsor. Maybe it was a happy coincidence but this exhibition was just the right fit,' says Winn-Moon.

Back at the bank's headquarters in London's Canary Wharf, staff are being offered Indian yoga classes and invitations to Bollywood film screenings.

BRINGING IT TOGETHER

With 335,000 employees working in 86 countries and territories, HSBC is one of the most international and culturally diverse businesses around today.

But until the introduction of the Cultural Exchange Programme there was little cohesiveness to the bank's sponsorship strategy, with many countries launching national initiatives with scant attention as to how they all fitted together.

'We were doing lots of stuff but there was not one unifying central scheme. Cultural sponsorship needs to be more focussed and more strategic,' says Winn-Moon. 'As an organisation operating in 86 countries, we know first hand that it is absolutely crucial to understand local culture and customs in order to build relationships. The Cultural Exchange Programme crystalises that.'

Although the programme co-ordinates the group's sponsorship initiatives, its purpose is also to educate people about the rich and diverse nature of the cultures that the bank serves. 'The community is very important to us,' says Winn-Moon. Educational programmes are developed around the sponsorships.

HSBC's origins in India date back to 1853 and today, five per cent of the continent's trade passes through the bank's channels. Understanding the Indian market, which saw gross domestic product grow by almost seven per cent last year, is key to the bank's global strategy.

'To be frank, you cannot justify today just doing sponsorship,' says Winn-Moon. 'You need to deliver business and brand awareness. You need to leverage the sponsorship strategy to maximise opportunities. And we really do have an understanding of how to do business in India. We understand the networks, etiquette and nuances of doing business there. We can offer tips on what to expect. We start with a huge advantage.'

To highlight this understanding, HSBC, with partner JWT, has created an advertising campaign that carries the Understanding culture is our business strapline.

The campaign, which appears across the Underground, National Rail and online and print media, uses the vibrant colours of the Indian art form of Rangoli where large floor designs are created using coloured powder made from ground rice.

The abstract designs, which have been created by Indian artist Janak Chauhan, represent pharmaceuticals and telecoms, which are India's fastest growing industries.

'We have also teamed together with the UKIBC [the UK India Business Council] and will be holding Insight Briefings in Birmingham, Manchester and Leicester, which will address the issues of doing business in India,' says Winn-Moon. 'We are also working with UKIBC to carry out a survey on the effect of the recession on non-resident Indians in the UK, who own a real mix of businesses.'

IN PARTNERSHIP

HSBC is also working with other partners, such as Asia House, the Financial Times and The Lord's Taverners, to build an extensive programme to leverage business opportunities and introductions.

With Asia House, for example, HSBC is hosting three events, which comprise an Indian cuisine night with chef Madhur Jaffrey, an evening of Indian horticulture with television gardener Monty Don and a performance by the Jaipur Kawa Brass Band.

'We are pushing the boundaries of core sponsorship,' says Winn-Moon. With the Financial Times, the bank is hosting executive dinner forums in New York, Abu Dhabi, Mumbai and London. 'Our key people will discuss a variety of schemes, and offer insight into how the recession is affecting business in India.'

She adds: 'Why Cultural Exchange? It is like our advertising campaign, Different values, different points of views, where, for example, it highlights that what may be viewed as a carpet in the UK is seen as a prayer rug in the Middle East. It is all about the way we do business and we are thoroughly committed to it. This is not a tagged on sponsorship programme.'  

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