Hindalco’s initiatives for sustainability and community development

04 September 2020

  • Muri plant has despatched 1.5 lakh tonnes of Bauxite Residue to cement plants where it has proved to be an effective substitute for mined raw material
  • Hindalco carried out relief work to aid 31,000 families in Muri during the Corona Pandemic
  • Hindalco took the pioneering step of extending COVID-19 health insurance to contract workmen, to honour their contribution during this period of unprecedented crisis

“We are committed to community development and are continuously striving to uplift the standard of our community. During this current crisis, Hindalco is closely working with the District Administration to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Silli Block.”  

Nitya Nand Roy, Unit Head, Hindalco, Muri

Ranchi: Aditya Birla Group’s Hindalco Industries Limited is one of the country's leading metals majors. Last year, the company had to handle an incident where there was spillage of industrial by-product bauxite residue from its storage area.

Hindalco has taken significant steps to prevent such incidents and to ensure that land, water and people remain safe and unaffected. Immediately after the incident, a massive task was undertaken on a war footing to:

  • Assess the overall impact of the same on land, water and people
  • Put back the spilled residue within the boundary of the storage area by extensively using earth-moving machinery, and completing this well before the onset of monsoon
  • Complete routing of catchment and storm water to the river bypassing the Bauxite Residue Storage area and
  • Treatment of the soil in the land area where the spillage had occurred.

Hindalco ensured that there was no trace of Bauxite Residue wash-off in monsoon to the river and no patch of land was rendered unsuitable for farming.

The company has collaborated with various expert agencies including Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi and Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research, Dhanbad and SGS Jamshedpur, and its initiatives have been validated by authorities from time-to-time.

Door-to-door medical check-ups and medical camps were organised for employees and villagers in the vicinity of the Bauxite Residue Storage area which confirmed that there was no injury or related ill-effects to employees, labourers or villagers during or after the incident. In the final report submitted by the Commissioner of South East Chhotanagpur Division who was leading the investigation, it was clear that there was no indication of loss of life or property due to the incident.

In a significant development which is unprecedented anywhere in the world, Hindalco has established Bauxite Residue as a raw material for cement manufacturing in collaboration with cement industries across the country. Muri plant has successfully despatched about 1.5 lakh tons of Bauxite Residue to various cement companies in the current financial year, where it is being used as a replacement for mined material like laterite or lithomarge. This is paving way for complete utilisation of the residue in coming years and is promoting a circular economy.

Even during the period when the factory was not operating due to the Covid pandemic, more than one lakh tonnes of Bauxite Residue was sent to cement units thereby reducing significantantly the height of the storage area on the eastern part adjacent to the Subarnarekha river.

Along with its responsible approach to sustainability, Hindalco’s commitment to the community is equally strong. This is evident in Hindalco’s actions and initiatives in the ongoing war against Covid-19. The relief work undertaken by Hindalco covers 31,000 families of 86 adjoining villages. Over 37,000 face masks were distributed and relief work was carried out in the entire area.

Despite short notice, the company converted its Aditya Birla School into a 200-bed Quarantine Centre, which benefited a large number of inter-state migrants. The pandemic also impacted Hindalco’s Muri Unit and operations were disrupted in April and May 2020. However, as a responsible corporate entity, the company has ensured payment of wages even to workers who were unable to attend duty during this period. In addition, the company has recognised and honoured the contribution of the employees, including contract workers, during this turbulent time with an ex-gratia payment as a token of appreciation. In addition, Hindalco has taken the pioneering step of extending COVID-19 Health Insurance to contract workers in Muri plant to alleviate their health risk.

About Hindalco Industries Limited
Hindalco Industries Limited is the metals flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group. A $16.7 billion metals powerhouse, Hindalco is the world’s largest aluminium rolling and recycling company, and a major player in copper. It is also one of Asia’s largest producers of primary aluminium. Its wholly owned subsidiary Novelis Inc. is the world’s largest producer of aluminium beverage can stock and the largest recycler of used beverage cans (UBCs).

In April 2020, Hindalco-Novelis acquired US-based rolled products major Aleris Corporation, cementing its position as the world’s leading aluminium value-added products player. Hindalco’s global footprint today spans 47 manufacturing units across 10 countries.

Guided by its purpose of building a greener, stronger, smarter world, Hindalco has innovated a number of lightweight aluminium products that help reduce fossil fuel use and GHG emissions.

Hindalco’s sustainability initiatives were recognised by its inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2019 in the Emerging Markets category. Its DJSI score places Hindalco among the world’s top three aluminium companies.