What are you looking for?

Type your keyword and search.

Press Releases

Banner Icon
15th April 2023

BALCO conducts gender sensitization workshops with employees

Balconagar, Korba; 15th April 2023: The Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s iconic aluminium producer and a subsidiary of Vedanta Aluminium, conducted a two-day gender sensitization workshop with employees to nurture a culture of inclusion & respect. The workshop was led by Vidya Rajput who is a member of the Transgender Welfare Society and also the President of Chhattisgarh Mitwa Sankalp Samiti, an NGO that works towards the advancement of the transgender community. Raveena Bariha, Secretary, and Popi Devnath, Member, Chhattisgarh Mitwa Sankalp Samiti were also present as resource persons during the workshop.

This was followed by a series of activities with its transgender employees, in commemoration of the Transgender Day of Visibility. BALCO is one of the first companies in Chhattisgarh and amongst the few in the country to have LGBTQIA+ employees in core manufacturing roles. Currently, the transgender employee count at BALCO stands at 15, with employees involved in significant roles such as industrial security and material handling at its cast house, where the company’s finished aluminium products are made. On the Transgender Day of Visibility, they were invited to share their thoughts on how the company could be a greater ally of the transgender community, their vision for growing with the company, and reflections on their experience so far.

Talking about BALCO being an ally of the LGBTQIA plus community, Mr. Rajesh Kumar, CEO & Director of BALCO said, “At BALCO, we believe in providing equal opportunities to all our employees and creating a safe, inclusive and encouraging workplace for all who work with us. We are committed to fostering more diversity in our workforce, with greater focus on diversity in leadership roles. This is seeing us leave no stone unturned in attracting the best of talent and tapping into their potential, as we foster a merit-first culture which powers the growth of our company and adds value to our customers, partners, communities and the nation at large.”

Talking about her experience, transgender employee Madhu Manikpuri, who is working in the Security function, said, “I am grateful to be a part of BALCO’s workforce. From the hardships we faced being in the fringes of the society to handling security at India’s iconic aluminium producer, we are being given equal opportunities to grow and succeed. The gender sensitization workshops conducted by the company shows BALCO’s commitment to a more inclusive and diverse workplace, where everyone feels belonged.”

Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) is India’s iconic aluminium producer. It is owned 49% by the Government of India and 51% by Vedanta Limited. BALCO is part of Vedanta’s Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, which is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium. BALCO operates a 0.57 million tonne per annum aluminium smelter in Korba, Chhattisgarh. It is also a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class smelter and power plants, the company fulfills 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, Namibia, and Australia. 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. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. Under the aegis of Vedanta Cares, the 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. Vedanta and its group companies have been featured in Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2020, and were conferred Frost & Sullivan Sustainability Awards 2020, CII Environmental Best Practices Award 2020, CSR Health Impact Award 2020, CII National Award 2020 for Excellence in Water Management, CII Digital Transformation Award 2020, ICSI National Award 2020 for excellence in Corporate Governance, People First HR Excellence Award 2020, ‘Company with Great Managers 2020’ by People Business and certified as a Great Place to Work 2021. Vedanta’s flagship Nand Ghar Project was identified as best CSR project by the Government of Rajasthan. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange in India and has ADRs listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more information please log on to https://www.vedantalimited.com