BALCO reinforces commitment to sustainability on World Environment Day
7th June 2024
- The company engaged with communities and employees through several awareness initiatives
Balconagar, 7th June, 2024: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s iconic aluminium producer and a unit of Vedanta Aluminium, celebrated World Environment Day in collaboration with the Chhattisgarh Forest Department through a plantation drive of over 200 plants in the BALCO township. In addition, the company also conducted several community initiatives to promote greater awareness of sustainable ways of living and environmental conservation.
Recognizing the pivotal role of tree plantation in land restoration, representatives from the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB) also participated in the plantation drive. The plantation drive, conducted at several locations in the vicinity of the plant, rallied around the slogan “Our Land, Our Future, we are @Generation Restoration,” uniting employees and community members for the sustainable cause.
Furthermore, to include the young generations in the global cause, BALCO organized a ‘Make Your Own Ready-To-Sow Seed Balls’ workshop for young children, who then participated in planting them at nearby Nand Ghars. These are modern anganwadi centers supported by Vedanta Limited as hubs of community development. The aim of the workshop was to educate individuals on the importance of planting seeds for developing more green spaces.
Mr. Rajesh Kumar, CEO & Director, BALCO, reaffirming the company’s dedication to sustainability, stated, “At BALCO, sustainability is at the core of our operations. We are proactively working towards achieving Net-Zero Carbon by 2050, in line with our commitment to environmental stewardship. Our sustainability initiatives also extend to our nearby communities, with whom we partner to protect and sustain our natural resources. Through this effort, we aim to foster a culture of sustainability that unites all stakeholders in the pursuit of a greener future.”
Ashish Khailwar, Sub-Divisional Officer of the Chhattisgarh Forest Department, emphasized the importance of ongoing environmental efforts, stated, “Tree plantation is a sustainable practice, not a one-day activity. Collaborating with various organizations is essential for achieving a sustainable future and maintaining our ecosystems, which requires joint efforts. BALCO’s consistent dedication to environmental stewardship is truly commendable. Their aim of planting 1.5 lakh trees within this year exemplifies their commitment to this cause.”
Moreover, at its operations, BALCO recognized employees and business partners from various sub-units who had contributed significantly to practicing and promoting environment-friendly operations with the “Green Champion of the Year” award. The week also featured competitions to encourage individuals towards undertaking environmental conservation.
The company has been consistent in cultivating a culture of environmental stewardship in partnership with local communities by educating employees, residents and children about sustainable living. To amplify awareness among young children and deepen their connection with nature, BALCO has also included activities such as seed distribution and ‘Hug-a-tree campaign’ through its annual summer camp, to foster a sense of environmental responsibility among the children.
BALCO has taken several steps to ensure a positive environmental impact. Some of its significant sustainability initiatives in FY24 include:
- Restoration of 42 farm and community ponds to ensure groundwater recharge, critical to water conservation
- Over 1,20,000 saplings planted in and around its operations
- Special nature workshops organized for a harmonious bond with the natural world
- Photography competitions / Nature walks to sensitize individuals about local biodiversity
- Publications celebrating the biodiversity of the region
- Successful afforestation on 5 reclaimed ash dykes covering an area of more than 150 hectares demonstrating dedication to the restoration of natural habitats
About BALCO:
Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO) is a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited, operating a 0.57 million tonne per annum aluminium smelter in Korba, Chhattisgarh. It is part of Vedanta’s Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, which is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium, i.e., 2.42 million tonnes in FY25. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 2nd in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2024 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.balcoindia.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.
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 visit www.vedantalimited.com
