February2024: On World NGO Day, Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium,announced that its impactful outreach efforts in partnership with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have resulted in a positive transformation in the lives of nearly 5 lakh individuals across India in FY23 alone. Cumulatively, the company’ssocial interventions have positively impacted over 6.3 lakh individuals in the last fiscal. The company is actively collaborating with over 20 NGOs to drive socio-economic progress in alignment with community needs,thegovernment’s developmental initiatives and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Vedanta Aluminium’s operations include one of the world’s largest aluminium smelters in Jharsuguda, a world-class alumina refinery in Lanjigarh in Odisha,India’s iconic aluminium producer BALCO in Korba, Chhattisgarh, anda growing mines vertical. Together, they are bringing several areas in rural India into the socio-economic mainstreamby reducing multi-dimensional rural poverty, creating opportunities for enterprise and employment. The company’s social welfare interventions are based on five thematic areas spanningeducation, healthcare, livelihood, rural infrastructure, and grassroots sports, art& culture, with a focus on woman & child development.
NGOs are crucial to this entire effort, adding strengths such as deep penetration into rural communities, programme development expertise, and insights on social structures and customs. They function on a scientific basis, conducting need assessments to ascertain the needs of the communities that could benefit from Vedanta Aluminium’s social support, developing a programmatic approach to welfare initiatives, andconducting regular impact assessments to gauge the efficacy of the welfare programmes. The NGOssubsequently recalibrateor enhance the ongoing programmes based on these definitive findings.
Every NGO partner working with Vedanta Aluminium is selected only after rigorous due diligence. Once onboarded, projects are closely monitored in terms of execution and impact, with partners audited regularlyin keeping with international standards.Initiatives are undertakenwith the long-term goal of making communities self-sustaining. Thus, project milestones are designed such that community members take complete ownershipeventually.
Mr. John Slaven, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium said, “Our community investments have grown by a significant 45% between FY21 and FY23,reflecting a strong commitment to the holistic development of the communities within which we operate. By establishing strategic partnerships with reputed NGOs, we leverage our shared strengths todesign and deliver impactful social welfare initiatives to our community members. At Vedanta Aluminium, we believe that inclusive growth stems from empowering all segments of society. Our NGOpartnerships deliver on this front by catalysing transformative, sustainable development.”
Ongoing collaborations involve working with domain-specific experts on a broad range ofinterventions, such as the Punaruthan Voluntary Organisation which is addressing the healthcare needs of over2 lakh beneficiaries in Odishathrough essential healthcare facilities.Meanwhile, in association with the Sarthak Jan Vikas Sansthan, the company has undertaken Project Nayi Kiran, a transformative project focused on ensuring better menstrual health and hygiene practices among rural girls.
Vedanta Aluminium has also partnered with the Vedanta Foundationto implement skill development programs in trades such as electricals andtailoring for ruralyouths,boosting their employability.In collaboration withAction For Food Production (AFPRO),the company is encouraging enhanced farming practices and food security through initiatives such as ‘Jeevika Samridhhi’ in Jharsuguda and ‘Mor Jal Mor Maati’ at Korba.Moreover, it has alsopartnered with the Sportz Village Foundation to providearchery &karate training to rural youths, which hasresulted in several laurels won at the state and national level.
Sharing the impact of these initiatives,Dr. Jacob John, Executive Director,Action For Food Production (AFPRO) said, “Through our partnership with Vedanta Aluminium, we areensuring a transformative impact on thousands offarmers and also re-establishingfarming as a sustainable livelihood choice for younger generations.”Adding his views, Mr.Jugal Pattnayak, Managing Director, Mahashakti Foundation, said “We have partnered with Vedanta Aluminium on entrepreneurship initiatives which are helpingwomen in rural areas make informed choices on their family’s wellbeing and also play a more active role in their community’s development.”
Their cumulative impact resonates strongly with thetheme of observing this year’s World NGO Day:”Building a Sustainable Future: The Role of NGOs in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”Through these strategicinitiatives, the company actively enriches the lives of community members within its operational areas and beyond, recognizing them as integral contributors to collective socio-economic progress and growth.
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.29 million tonnes in FY23. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 1st in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023 world rankings for the aluminium industry, a reflection of its 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 tomorrowwww.vedantaaluminium.com
