Vedanta wins 4 Awards at India CSR 2015

Vedanta, one of India’s largest diversified natural resources company, with operations across zinc, lead, silver, oil & gas, iron ore, copper, aluminium and commercial power has won four prestigious awards for best practices in CSR at the India CSR Awards 2015. The India CSR Awards raise awareness on the positive impact that business can have on society, bring the best CSR multi-stakeholder projects into focus, enhance the exchange of CSR best practice across India and encourage CSR collaboration between business and stakeholders.

“These prestigious awards further strengthen our commitment to continuous engagement with the communities towards supporting their development as we recognize the value of building solid relationships with local communities for a sustainable growth,” said Ms. Roma Balwani, Group President, Sustainability, CSR and Communications, Vedanta.

Vedanta’s Jharsuguda business unit won the ‘Best CSR Award in Women Empowerment’ for the innovative activities implemented by the Subhalaxmi cooperative, the largest women based cooperative in the region with 224 self-help groups, benefiting over 2600 women in over 50 villages. The project has established over 1900 ‘Micro Entrepreneurs’ in 53 trades through capacity building and livelihood promotion activities.

BALCO’s Watershed Development project won the ‘Best CSR Award for Water Conservation and Watershed Development’. The aim of the project, undertaken in a Public Private Partnership with NABARD is to introduce better farming techniques and irrigation infrastructure. The 5 year project which began in 2008 has covered 4 villages spread over 2499 hectares of land and benefited 453 families.

The Sesa Football Academy, which is the initiative of Vedanta’s Goa business unit, won ‘Best CSR Project Award in promotion of sports in rural areas’. The Academy trained 112 players with 6 players representing the India Senior Team, 5 Indian Super League teams and so far the only player from India who represented the premier football club in Europe.

Vedanta’s Lanjigarh business received ‘Best CSR Award in Environment Management’ for developing cement free Green Concrete Project with fly ash (a by-product generated by thermal power plants from combustion of pulverised coal.). The use of fly ash in Cement free Concrete not only minimizes Green House Gas Emission but also solves the problem of Fly Ash disposal.

The Award function was graced by Dr.Bhaskar Chatterjee, Director General (DG), Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), Ministry of Corporate Affairs as the Chief Guest.

• Vedanta’s Jharsuguda business wins the ‘Best CSR Award in Women Empowerment’
• BALCO received the ‘Best CSR Award for Water Conservation and Watershed Development’.
• Vedanta’s Goa business wins the ‘Best CSR Project Award in promotion of sports in rural areas’
• Vedanta’s Lanjigarh business received the ‘Best CSR Award in Environment Management’.