Vedanta Aluminium’s BALCO certified against Aluminium Stewardship Initiative’s Performance Standard V3
27th March 2024
- The iconic aluminium producer is the first Indian company to be awarded this certification
New Delhi, 27th March 2024: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s iconic aluminium producer and a unit of Vedanta Aluminium, has achieved the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Performance Standard V3 Certification for the manufacture and supply of a wide range of primary aluminium products at its facility in Korba, Chhattisgarh. This includes a smelter with two potlines for producing molten aluminium (hot metal), three casthouses for shaping the aluminium, a rolled product plant and a power generation plant. Together, they contribute to an annual production capacity of 575,000 tonnes at BALCO.
BALCO produces aluminium wire rods, ingots, primary foundry alloys and rolled products, as well as India’s first low carbon aluminium range Restora. They find applications in several sectors including automobiles, infrastructure, insulations, power projects, electrical and packaging. It has emerged as the first Indian company to achieve the ASI Performance Standard V3 Certification. Previously, Vedanta Aluminium has also achieved the ASI Performance Standard V2 Certification for its smelter and captive power plant located within the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Jharsuguda, Odisha, India.
The ASI Certification program was developed through an extensive multi-stakeholder consultation process and is the only comprehensive voluntary sustainability standard initiative for the global aluminium value chain. The ASI Performance Standard V3 (2022) was launched in May 2022 following a multi-year revision process. It defines 11 principles and 62 criteria under three sustainability pillars – Environment, Social, and Governance – with the aim to address sustainability areas in the aluminium value chain, such as biodiversity, indigenous peoples’ rights, circularity, and greenhouse gas emissions. The independent, third-party audit of Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) was carried out by CETIZION Verifica.
Mr John Slaven, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “We welcome BALCO’s inclusion in the esteemed ASI membership and its Certification against the ASI Performance Standard V3, which includes the production of our low-carbon ‘green’ aluminium Restora and Restora Ultra brands. As India’s iconic aluminium producer, BALCO has pioneered sustainable processes across every step of the aluminium value chain, establishing itself as a benchmark within the global industry. The certification comes as a reiteration of our continuous commitment to responsible production practices, and ignites in our teams a renewed focus on exploring new ways to harness aluminium’s boundless potential towards building a sustainable world.”
Dr. Fiona Solomon, CEO, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative, said, “We congratulate Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) on achieving Performance Standard Certification V3 (2022) for its integrated aluminium production facilities in Chhattisgarh. As a large aluminium producer in India and a part of Vedanta Limited – Aluminium Business, BALCO plays an important role in the global aluminium industry. This certification marks a notable milestone in BALCO’s sustainability journey and demonstrates its commitment to adopting practices that meet a broad range of environmental, social and governance criteria.”
Vedanta Aluminium, of which BALCO is a part, is adopting a multi-pronged approach to achieve Net Zero by 2050, by setting clear timelines to mitigate emissions, deploying cutting-edge carbon reduction technologies, greater usage of renewables, and supporting grassroots climate resilience initiatives among local communities. Striking a balance between ecological needs and business requirements, the company achieved an impressive 28% reduction in its greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity in FY23 from a FY12 baseline, while also enhancing production three-fold during the same period.
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.29 million tonnes in FY23. 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. www.vedantaaluminium.com
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#ASI #Sustainability #PerformanceStandard #Vedanta #VedantaAluminium #BALCO
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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