As concerns over environmental sustainability grow and stringent regulations on CO2 emissions reshape how the chemical industries operate, Tata Chemicals has been increasingly evaluating every aspect of its business to bring about greater resiliency in operations.
“We are aligning our business along the core principles of Green Chemistry to drive sustainability and organisation resilience,” says the chemical giant.
Environmental Sustainability Commitments
The company has committed to reducing its carbon footprint as per the Science Based Target Initiatives (SBTi) guidelines by 30 per cent by 2030.
It invests in Green Chemistry as part of the sustainability commitment to ensure circularity of feedstock, low energy intensity and zero effluents.
The Tata Chemicals Innovation Centre successfully commissioned a 100-kW rooftop solar project that will reduce the electricity from the grid by 25 per cent. The company has also ensured responsible waste management practices involving 100 per cent recycling of plastic waste, fly ash, and safe waste disposal across locations and conducted LCA studies for soda ash, salt, and other bulk chemicals.
It is committed to preserving natural capital and conserving and restoring biodiversity. Through C-SCAPES, the Centre for Sustainable Conservation Action for Protection of the Seas, the company runs biodiversity conservation programmes related to coral reefs, whale sharks, mangroves, indigenous flora and fauna, and environmental education initiatives at Mithapur. These are aided by partnerships with eco-clubs in local schools.
Aligned with the Tata Group’s value of responsible business, the company has developed an internal tool, the responsible manufacturing index, to monitor key sustainability indicators on a monthly basis. Besides this, the company has also developed an internal tool for business performance assessment (sustainability assessment), which feeds into the respective businesses’ strategy.
The company has a strong emphasis on circular economy with many initiatives such as enhancing recycling of water and becoming net water positive, reducing waste materials, and ensuring zero waste to landfill, transporting soda ash in bulkers to reduce plastic packaging, using plastic waste as fuel in cement kilns, and community watershed management and rainwater harvesting.
Driving Inclusive Growth
Tata Chemicals says that its business success is interwoven with the welfare and prosperity of the communities within which it operates. It has set up self-sustaining enterprises for community development programmes aligned with UN SDGs with Tata ethos underpinned.
About 11,193 farmers are covered under the various programmes of these self-sustaining entities. These farmers were provided capacity-building training, field demonstrations, support on livestock management etc.
The company says that it empowered 27,830 rural women artisans by connecting them to pan-India customers through the Okhai marketplace.
Strong Governance Practices
Tata Chemicals has framed its business strategies guided by corporate governance philosophy. It believes the framework will enable the organisation to enhance accountability, ethical behaviour, and fairness to all stakeholders, driving value creation.
The governance philosophy is strengthened through the Tata Business Excellence Model, the Tata Code of Conduct to prevent insider trading and the Code of Corporate Disclosure Practices.
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