Bharat Aluminum Co. Ltd. Corporate Sustainability

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 INTRODUCTION

Corporate Sustainability is a business approach that creates long-term shareholder value by embracing opportunities and managing risks deriving from economic, environmental and social development. Companies that anticipate and manage current and future economic, environmental and social opportunities and risks by focusing on quality, innovation and productivity will emerge as leaders and are more likely to create a competitive advantage and long-term stakeholder value.

The foremost important lesson in the activity is that: It’s better to convey the message very carefully and cordially and the prospective should be clear from both of the side (From company point of view and the organization). It also makes sense that CSR will sustain in longer run because the company put much more effort to update the customers. The company also looking forward to increase the CSR activity such as creating awareness, creating community garden, increase the area of art and craft etc. The only motivation of the company to implement to more CSR activity is that the award. As BALCO got best oral sustainability performance award from Asian Sustainability Excellence award 2017.

COMPANY’S PROFILE

• Bharat Aluminum Co. Ltd. (BALCO) was incorporated in the year 1965 as a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU).It was in public sector until 2001, when it was taken over by Vedanta Resources, a company listed on the London Stock Exchange. The Company has been closely associated with the Indian Aluminum Industry, in a pivotal role.
• It was incorporated in 1965 as a Public Sector Undertaking. It is the first public sector enterprise in India which started producing aluminum in 1974. Till 2001, BALCO was a public sector enterprise owned 100% by Government of India. In 2001, GoI (Government of India) divested 51% equity and management control in favor of Sterlite Industries India Limited.

PROFILE OF INTERVIEWEE

Name of the Interviewee:  Manisha Saun

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manishasaun/?ppe=1

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Linked In Profile:

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Miss Manisha Saun has done her BBA from Pandit Ravishankar Shukla University, Chhattisgarh in 2014. Later she did her MBA in Marketing from MICA, Ahmedabad. She has done her internship in South East Central in the year 2014 and in Anand Group India in the year 2016.

She is currently working in BALCO, Vedanta resources in the MT- Corporate Communications. Presently she is working with the CSR department of the company as well.

INTERVIEW SUMMARY

We started the interview by asking Miss Manisha Saun about her prior work experience and present roles and responsibilities in Bharat Aluminum Company Ltd, CSR domain. She explained that after her MBA internship in the field of corporate communication in Anand Automotives, she started working in Vedanta. She went on to explain that the definition of CSR has changed lately. CSR plays an important role not just in branding of the company but the overall development of the company as well. It is of at most importance for the company to work for CSR as it should be the core aspect of the company. Because of all these reasons it is very important for a professional to understand the aspects of CSR and contribute to the society. These aspects of CSR keep her motivated.

We discussed about the role played by various stakeholders such as government (e.g. Swach Bharat) / local bureaucrats (district magistrates, IAS officers, politicians) in the execution of different CSR activities in BALCO. The company being the leading player in Korba, needs support from the local government and community for making the CSR activities successful. For example, in order to start a new plant under the CSR community development initiatives program. BALCO needs support from the above stakeholders for the accomplishment of their goals. The policies of the concerned stakeholders need to be in sync with the company’s goals.

BALCO celebrated international women’s day through organizing various programs in its Narishakti Kendra. A lot of activities like stitching and embroidery training, special classes for educationally weak children, etc are being conducted for making women self-independent.

As per Deepak Prasad, Head, Aluminum Business, BALCO has a project connect through which they teach the needy students and prepare them for future. Every company faces certain issues at the operational level while implementing such program, what challenges are faced by managers - from within the organization or from the community. Miss Saun discussed few such challenges faced by the company. The company does not face any resistance from within the organization. They want all the women under their vicinity to be self-dependent. They want them to look for other opportunities as well to make their future better. As of now there are 40 self-help groups and they have partnered with many NGOs which they call as partner NGOs. The firm and partner NGOs work together to make these women self-sufficient. At times, they face resistance from the community owing to the social stigma. Women refuse to come out of their comfort zone because of their lack of knowledge and fear of not achieving the desired results. Hence the company tries to motivate them by inspiring them through various success stories. The company makes them aware of the importance of earning their livelihood by themselves. There is a BALCO hospital as well where the doctors conduct health awareness sessions for these women. The women are allowed to ask any questions they have to these doctors so that they are more confident and have a better outlook towards these initiatives. The company conducts the base line surveys to analyze the current problems the women are facing, so that they can come up with effective solutions.