Vedanta Aluminium launches its maiden Sustainable Development Report
7th June 2021
Launched on World Environment Day, the report captures sustainability performance highlights of FY 2019-20, such as:
- USD 4.74 billion economic value distributed
- Over USD 14 million spent in community investments, improving lives of over 3 lakh people
- 6 million m3 reduction in freshwater consumption over previous fiscal
- Over 18% reduction in GHG emission intensity from 2012 baseline
New Delhi, June 08, 2021: Vedanta Aluminium and Power Business, India’s largest producer of aluminium and its value-added products, unveiled its maiden Sustainable Development Report today. The report encapsulates the Business’ performance across key sustainability parameters such as Energy Management, Water Management, Biodiversity Management, Air Quality, Health & Safety, Social Impact and Governance etc for the FY 2019-20 performance period.
The Sustainable Development Report was inaugurated on World Environment Day and can be accessed on the business’ website www.vedantaaluminium.com
To mark the occasion, Mr. Rahul Sharma interacted with over a hundred students and faculty members of IIM Sambalpur in Odisha, where the company operates its largest aluminium complex and alumina refinery, over a virtual ‘Campus Connect’ session. The theme was ‘Sustainability in business operations and the bridge to Doing Well and Doing Good’. Mr. Rahul Sharma presented the Sustainability Report to Prof. M.P. Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur at the conclusion of the event.
Launching the Sustainability Report for the business, Mr Rahul Sharma, Dy. CEO, Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd said, “At Vedanta, good governance and sustainable development are the twin pillars that drive our business aspirations, leveraging best-in-class technologies, global best practices and our talented human capital. Our efforts are focused on creating sustained value along economic, environment and social dimensions, such as improving lives and livelihoods of our stakeholders and the local communities, ensuring sustained performance improvement in ESG (Environment, Social and Governance). With the Vedanta Group pledged to move towards carbon neutrality, we are determined in our approach to ensure responsible business growth that creates shared value for our country, customers and communities.”
Prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, the report outlines Vedanta Aluminium & Power’s approach to sustainable and responsible development aligned to United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Principles and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs). Key highlights from the report include:
- Operational excellence parameters for the production of aluminium
- Vedanta Aluminium generated and distributed economic value to the tune of USD 4.8 billion
- Over USD 14 million spent in community investments through social interventions in livelihood and skill development, women’s empowerment, quality education, health & sanitation, etc. improving lives of 3 lakh people hailing from local communities
- Recycling and reuse of wastewater generated at plants, resulting in 3.6 million m3 reduction in freshwater consumption over previous fiscal
- Vedanta’s aluminium smelter at Jharsuguda is India’s first, and the world’s third smelter to deploy Digital Smelter Solution. It uses digital twin technology, predictive and prescriptive analytics to enhance energy efficiency, reduce raw material consumption and arrest wastage of material through remote advisory system.
- 5 million units of renewable power was purchased by the business for consumption
- ‘Carbon Forum’ created at group level to proactively work on the company’s carbon mitigation approach.
- Partnered with Runaya LLC for 100% utilization of dross, a by-product of aluminium smelting, resulting in zero waste.
- More than 100% fly ash utilization for various purposes, including cement manufacturing, brick manufacturing and backfilling of mine void, etc.
- Rehabilitation of mined out areas of Mainpat and Bodai Daldali bauxite mines in Chhattisgarh with plantation of 2 million saplings and creation of water recharging structures
- With 12% women professionals, Vedanta Aluminium has one of the highest gender diversity ratios in the metal and mining sector in India.
- Since outbreak of COVID, Vedanta Aluminium has supported the local communities, district administrations, state governments, central government, with grocery supplies, PPEs, medical equipment, oxygen, financial contribution, and many other need-based requirements.
Overall, the Vedanta Aluminium & Power Business contributed nearly 1% to the GDP of India, through the induced impact of its entire value-chain, as reported by the Institute of Competitiveness (IFC). Aligned to Vedanta Limited’s pledge to move towards carbon neutrality, Vedanta Aluminium has directed initiatives under the three key pillars of workforce health and safety, climate change and environment management, and community and social performance for 2021 and beyond.
Speaking on the launch, Prof. M.P. Jaiswal said, “We are delighted to be a part of the momentous occasion where Vedanta Aluminium launched their first ever Sustainability Report. Industries have a vital role to play in shaping a greener future, and the report stands testimony to Vedanta’s commitment and sustainability efforts for a better tomorrow. The learnings from the report will help our students develop essential knowledge and understanding of sustainability and its key facets, in a business context. It will help orient them on how to map business aspirations to global sustainability and environment goals, for ensuring responsible and equitable development.”
Vedanta Aluminium & Power Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, with annual capacity of ~ 2.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). Vedanta is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class smelters, power plants and alumina refinery spread across India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.
About Vedanta Limited:
Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world’s leading Oil & Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa and Namibia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing significantly to nation building. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment. Vedanta has put in place a comprehensive framework to be the ESG leader in the natural resources sector. Vedanta is committed to reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050 or sooner and has pledged $5 billion over the next 10 years to accelerate the transition to net zero operations. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. The company’s flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars, have been set up as model anganwadis focused on eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, healthcare, and empowering women with skill development. Under the aegis of the Anil Agarwal Foundation, the umbrella entity for Vedanta’s social initiatives, the Vedanta group has pledged Rs 5000 crore over the next five years on social impact programmes with a thrust on nutrition, women & child development, healthcare, animal welfare, and grass-root level sports. Vedanta and the group companies have been featured in Dow Jones Sustainability Index, and was conferred Frost & Sullivan Sustainability Awards 2020, Golden Peacock Award for excellence in Corporate Governance 2022 and certified as a Great Place to Work 2022. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange.
For more information, please visit www.vedantalimited.com
About Vedanta Aluminium Business:
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.37 million tonnes in FY24. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 1st in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023 world rankings for the aluminium industry, a reflection of its leading sustainable development practices. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.
For more information, please log on to www.vedantaaluminium.com
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Disclaimer:
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” – that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “should” or “will.” Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets including the London Metal Exchange, fluctuations in interest and or exchange rates and metal prices; from future integration of acquired businesses; and from numerous other matters of national, regional, and global scale, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements.
