Vedanta Resources Corporate Social Responsibility

Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd. (SIIL) believes in conducting its activities with a Social Conscience. As a responsible Corporate Citizen, Sterlite has under taken several initiatives to conserve the Environment and serve Society.

Environmental Consciousness
SIIL takes active interest in the protection and conservation of the environment through development of environment-friendly systems. The prestigious ISO 14001:1996 Environment Management Certificate awarded to the Tuticorin plant in Tamil Nadu, by Det Norske Veritas B V Netherlands, is evidence of its commitment to the cause of strict adherence to standards and constant endeavor to improve.

SIIL's effort towards safeguarding the environment includes the implementation of Environment Management Schemes at an investment of more than Rs.2000 million. Some of the important aspects of the system operational in the company are:

• Solid waste and secured landfill – A secured landfill facilities, built at a cost of Rs.30 million and approved by the National Productivity Council, has been installed to safely store hazardous solid wastes, a system which is practiced abroad only in some industries.
• Gaseous Emissions – The sulphur dioxide gas generated during the manufacturing process is converted into sulphuric acid by the DCDA process at the Sulphuric Acid Plant set up within the complex. To improve the primary gas collection efficiency, a water-cooled double hood system has been installed at a cost of Rs.60 million. These processes not only ensure a healthy environment for the neighborhood, but also for the operating personnel.
• Continuous monitoring of ambient air quality is undertaken to ensure emission levels are far below the stipulated standards.

The company’s efforts toward protecting and conserving nature also include:

• Setting up of a 5000m3 capacity Rainwater Harvesting System to collect rainwater and use it for production processes.
• Development of a 25 meter green belt all around the factory premises.
• Afforesting the open lands in and around the plant in association with the Forest Department.
• An Environment Management Cell that reports to the Unit Head keeps a round-the-clock check on the working of all the initiatives implemented.

Safety Consciousness
SIIL believes that concern for the environment should go hand in hand with safety. As a good corporate practice, it encourages self-responsibility and concern for the environment and safety in each employee and contract workmen. International benchmarking and process improvements are also actively applied to provide a safe, accident-free environment to our most important resource - Human Resource.

Result of the concerted efforts towards developing a safe work environment for and by the employees, is the OSHAS: 18001 Certification for Occupational Health and Safety Management and Systems, by Det Norske Veritas BV Netherlands. SIIL has also been the proud recipient of the British Safety Council Safety Award for two years in succession for an excellent track record in safety.

Social Consciousness

Behind every success the contribution of the community plays a very important role. SIIL believes in fulfilling its social obligations by improving quality of life of the community at large. Its Community Care Program is aimed at enhancing the quality of life in the neighborhood community. The company’s endeavors primarily focus on women, children and youth, to achieve overall sustainable development of the community.

A bottom-up approach is being followed in designing community development projects. Right from conceptual stage to execution, participation of the local community is encouraged so that benefits of the project reach the economically weaker sections. Such participatory approach also ensures 100% utilization of the facilities created - be it health care or community infrastructure.

The community-care efforts are in four major spheres – Education, Health, Sports and Community welfare.

Education

‘Transformation through education’ is Sterlite’s motto, and priority is given to education related projects, specifically in the rural areas for economically weaker students as illustrated below :

• Ten Free Study Centers established in the villages in and around the plant at Tuticorin. Students assemble at the centers after school hours and teachers appointed by the company guide the students to complete their home work and clarify their doubts. These centers are equipped with basic infrastructure like proper lighting, seating arrangements and other educational aids, which the students otherwise do not get at home. Courses in linguistic skills and computers are also imparted at these centers. The progress reports of the students are meticulously checked to assess their deficiencies, and proper inputs are given to rectify this.
  
• Free notebooks and uniforms distributed to more than 2000 children from economically weaker sections every year.
  
• Scholastic Excellence Awards have been instituted to encourage the drive for excellence and instill a spirit of healthy competition in the young minds. These awards are presented annually to Board toppers and for toppers in specialized subjects – chemistry and physics at the pre-university level. The award comprises a citation and a cash prize. Parents and teachers of the scholars are also honored with mementos.

Health

SIIL regularly conducts health programs in rural areas to create awareness to make the people responsive toward health and hygiene. It has adopted a three-pronged strategy: Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment, to provide better health care for the neighborhood community.

The Projects include:

• Awareness campaigns and health exhibitions-cum-seminars conducted frequently in the nearby villages to prevent any outbreak of diseases and to increase awareness about health and hygiene.
  
• Actively supporting national campaigns like Pulse Polio Immunization Camps and Health programs organized by National Blindness Eradication Society.
  
• Provision of infrastructure to nearby Public Health Centers and District Headquarters Hospital to help them provide better health care to the villagers.
  
• Rural Health Clinics established by SIIL in areas where access to Public Health Centers is very limited. Qualified Doctors treat the patients and free medicines are distributed. On an average about 12,000 patients are treated annually at these clinics.
  
• Health camps conducted by a mobile health team once in a month in the outskirts of Tuticorin and Coastal slums. Patients get general screening and treatment with free medicines. Around 6,000 people benefit from such health camps every year.

Sports

SIIL encourages talent by promoting sportspersons and organizing various sports events at the rural level. Budding sports talents in the region are encouraged by SIIL through their ‘Catch them Young’ and coach them to excel program.

SIIL's initiatives in this field are:

• Adoption of children in the age group of 12 to 14, based on their performance and potential. A monthly stipend towards training and dietary expenses is provided to them along with necessary sporting equipment. Deepan Chakravarthy, present Junior Asian Chess champion; Benedict Starli, winner of Gold Medal in the International Athletic Championship held at Tehran in High Jump in the Junior category; Lakshmi, a sub-junior National Pentathlon champion; are all presently nurtured in the ‘Catch them Young’ program.
  
• Village level tournaments, held under various disciplines to encourage sports and to identify young talent
  
• Sponsoring State level championships at Tuticorin to create sporting awareness, and provide a source of recreation for people in and around Tuticorin.

Community Welfare

Based on the requests from the community, SIIL supports projects that improve the community infrastructure.

Some of the projects undertaken are:

• Renovation of noon meal centers.
• Building school class rooms.
• Provision of benches and computers to Panchayat schools.
• Providing sewage canals in the villages.
• Improvements in the drinking water supply to villages.

Unit		ISO 14001: certification		OHSAS 18001: Certification
Tuticorin smelter		Certified		Certified
Silvassa copper refining facility		Certified		Certified
Mt Lyell mine		Not intended		Not intended
Thalanga mine		Not intended		Not intended

      * Periodic audit is conducted to update the certification