By the end of 2024 or by the beginning of 2025, just Hindustan Zinc will have reduced half of the GHG emissions, says Priya Agarwal Hebbar.
Vedanta Ltd. said it has achieved about 30% reduction in green house gas (GHG) emissions across units since 2021. Its subsidiary Hindustan Zinc Ltd. is looking at 50% reduction by 2025, a top executive said.
“By the end of 2024 or by the beginning of 2025, just Hindustan Zinc will have reduced half of the GHG emissions,” said Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Director, Vedanta Ltd. and Chairperson, Hindustan Zinc Ltd.
“We will have our solar and wind power plants installed by then. So, we are looking at a 50% decrease [in GHG emissions] in just Hindustan Zinc,“ she added.
“We have reduced [GHG emissions] nearly 30% across all of Vedanta Ltd. from 2021. So, we are very much ambitious about these goals,” she said
She said Vedanta had signed a large renewable energy contract of 2.5 gigawatts to achieve net-zero goals. “We are looking at completing this before 2050 much before our target,” she added.
The company, which is into mining and natural resources, officially created an ESG vertical during the pandemic.
Out of its nine top priority Environmental, Social & Corporate Governance (ESG) goals, the company said that it would be Zero Carbon by 2050, two decades ahead of India’s goal of 2070.
“We have pledged for 2050. A lot of units like Hindustan Zinc may achieve it much sooner… maybe by 2035-2040. So, we are hoping to even achieve this much sooner,” Ms. Hebbar said.
“We are looking at becoming water positive. Today already five of our companies are water positive as of date” she added.
“Becoming water positive is a huge accomplishment for us and we are hoping that we reach the peak water positivity by 2030,” she further said
She said the company had targeted at impacting the lives of 100 million women and children. “We have already impacted over 20 million women and children lives till today. This is via our flagship project Nand Ghar plus many other projects.”
Towards gender diversity, the company said it would have more women in leadership roles. “About 40% [of leadership team would comprise women] by 2030. Looking at diversity and inclusion, we have also started hiring transgenders,” Ms. Hebbar said.
“We have an extremely progressive transgender policy and are looking at contributing ₹2 lakh towards any gender affirmation surgeries. We are also giving a 30-day leave for the same,” she said.
For curbing GHG emissions, the company has announced an EV policy where in it would pay 30 to 50% of the cost of the vehicle if any of its employees opt to buys an EV.
Beyond that, all its lightweight motor vehicles are going to be EVs in the next five years. “So EV policy is extremely important for us also in terms of GHG reduction.” she said.
She said in ESG parameters Vedanta from being rated number 16 in the world last years , is now rated number six in the world ‘in just one year.’
“Plus S&P Global last quarter rated us number one in the world in terms of renewable contracts, even more than Google and Amazon,” she added.
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