Vedanta Aluminium unveils Sustainable Development Report for FY21

MUMBAI: Vedanta Aluminium Business, India’s largest producer of aluminium and its value-added products, unveiled its Sustainable Development Report (SDR) for FY 2020-21 today i.e., World Energy Conservation Day, in a campus connect program with the TERI School of Advanced Studies (TERI SAS).

Titled ‘Nature, Nurture, Future’, Vedanta Aluminium’s Sustainable Development Report encapsulates the Business’ performance across key sustainability parameters such as Energy and Climate Change Management, Water Management, Biodiversity Management, Air Quality and Emissions control, Health & Safety, Social Impact and Governance, etc. for the FY 2020-21 performance period.

Launching the report, Rahul Sharma, CEO – Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd. said, “The principles of sustainability are imbibed in every aspect of the way we conduct our business. It is imperative for us that our business growth materializes in a sustainable manner through judicious and responsible utilization of resources, highest efficiency of assets and processes, and a focused approach towards carbon mitigation. We are committed to decarbonisation of our operations in the long term. As India’s largest aluminium producer, we are unrelenting in our pursuit of excellence in all aspects of business, including Environment, Social and Governance (ESG).”

Titled ‘Nature, Nurture, Future’, the report captures Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) sustainability highlights of FY 2020-21, such as:

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• 21% reduction in GHG emission intensity over FY 2011-12 baseline
• 93% of mined out area rehabilitated for biodiversity management
• 5 billion litres of water recycled for reuse in plant operations
• Deep community welfare initiatives touching over 5 lakh people
• 97 million Metric Tonnes of aluminium produced
• USD 4.19 billion of economic value distributed

Prof. Shaleen Singhal, Dean (Research and Partnerships) at TERI SAS, added, “TERI School of Advance Studies students and faculty members are delighted to be part of this launch event that demonstrates Vedanta Aluminium’s commitment to sustainability. This unique university-corporate partnership shall advance the frontiers of knowledge creation and practice for sustainable development.”

Prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, the report outlines Vedanta Aluminium’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 for FY21 include:

• Operational excellence parameters for the production of aluminium
• Vedanta Aluminium distributed economic value to the tune of USD 4.19 billion
• Climate action initiatives have resulted in GHG emission intensity reduction by 21% at the Aluminium Business against FY 2011-12 as baseline
• Towards decarbonization of operations, Vedanta Aluminium has set a target of achieving 24% reduction in GHG emissions intensity over 2012 baseline by FY 2025.
• Recycled 16.5 billion litres of water across operations
• 93% of mined out area rehabilitated as part of biodiversity management
• 308 Million Units of renewable power purchased for producing aluminium
• 4 Million GJ in energy savings through energy conservation efforts, resulting in equivalent GHG savings of 0.32 million tCO₂e (tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent)
• 118% of the generated ash utilized in avenues such as mine backfilling, raw material for cement and brick manufacturing, road construction, and low-lying area filling
• 14% women professionals in management positions across the business
• Deep interventions in community welfare dimensions of livelihood and skill development, women’s empowerment, quality education, health & sanitation, etc. improving lives of 5 lakh people hailing from local communities
• 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

Vedanta Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium, producing over half of India’s aluminium i.e., 1.97 million tonnes in FY21. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. 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.