• Marks the beginning of ‘Environment Month Campaign’

• Massive Plantation & Awareness programmes undertaken across locations

Tata Steel Limited, one of the largest steel producers in the country,believes in the importance of environmental conservation and organises various activities supporting this cause. This World Environment Day, Tata Steel organised a string of activities across its divisions to spread awareness about environment protection, sustenance and eco-conscious growth.

The celebration of World Environment Day spanned across its divisions in Jamshedpur (Steel Plant- Environment and Infrastructure Planning); Ferro Alloys & Minerals Division (FAMD) (Sukinda, Bamnipal and Joda); West Bokaro & Jharia division andOre, Mines and Quarries (OMQ) division (Noamundi). The week-long celebration preceding this day marked the beginning of the Environment month campaign, which got kicked-off by various departments. Numerous discussions across divisions were held on reducing Carbon Dioxide emission, making operations more environment friendly along with awareness campaigns on applicable Environment norms pertaining to Air, Water and Noise.

In Jamshedpur, the employees of Tata Steel undertook a unique initiative of ‘Carpooling’ enroute to their workplace in an effort to contribute to the environment. Mass tree plantation was planned by Engineering and Project department in the western corridor area inside Works. A total of 2500 pits were made ready in this area along thewestern corridor; 47 trees were planted near SMD area and 14 plants at IM section. Essay Writing, online Quiz competition and various social media activities pertaining to World Environment Daywere organised for the employees. A “Manthan” Session was organized at Steelenium Hall on the topic “Role of Employee in Environment Management.” This enabled the employeesto share their ideas and activities in making the environment cleaner and greener.

Speaking on the eve of World Environment Day, Mr. Sunil Bhaskaran, Dy. VP Corporate Services, Tata Steel, said, “Tata Steel has always been committed to its care for the environment. Its operations, production and sustainability largely depend on the environment as being an extractive industry it derives its raw materials from nature. From the inception of its operations, Tata Steel has always ensured to follow the best practices in keeping the environment hazard-free and the technological developments in resource utilization, sustainable mining practices and treatment of its wastes have further reinforced its care for the environment. It’s this philosophy which is imbibed in its everyday operations and to which every employee adheres to. The company has initiated numerous programmes in its operational areas to fight against climate changes and threats to the environment. The developments in the clean and green technology in its production processes have further emphasized the responsibility towards a greener future and the promise of Tata Steel to provide a clean, green and safer environment for the society at large. Tata Steel is committed to playing an active and constructive role in addressing climate change – both by reducing its own carbon footprint and by creating high-performance steels that will make it possible to produce lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicles and energy-efficient buildings.”

OMQ Division and West Bokaro division of Tata Steelkicked off the celebration with a Prabhat Pheri where senior Tata Steel Executives, Union Officials, employees and school children participated. The Prabhat Pheri was essentially a rally where participants carried banners and flags with slogans on environment to create awareness. A plantation drive followed the morning procession at the both the divisions. At West Bokaro, Tata Steel pledged to plant 1, 00,000 saplings this financial year, reinforcing the Company’s vision to create a greener environment for the society at large. This follows the plantation drive of planting 75,000 trees in FY’ 11, 85,000 in FY’ 12 and 96,000 in FY’ 13.

The Jharia Division of Tata Steel undertook a plantation programme with around 5000 fruit plant saplings being distributed among the employees across departments. This follows the successive plantation of 42,000, 50,000 and 30,000 tress in FY’ 11, FY’ 12 and FY’ 13 respectively. On the occasion a workshop was also organised at the JRD Tata Auditorium, Jamadoba in collaboration with the Institute of Engineers addressing the importance of environment.

World Environment Day is an annual initiative of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and is aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. The official theme for this World Environment Day is Think.Eat.Save, which concerns issues such as food waste, sustainable consumption and production besides environment sustenance and growth.

About Tata Steel
Established in 1907 as Asia's first integrated private sector steel company, Tata Steel Group is among the leading steel manufacturers in the world with an annual crude steel capacity of over 26.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). It is now the world's second-most geographically-diversified steel producer, with operations in 26 countries and a commercial presence in over 50 countries. The Tata Steel Group, with a turnover of US$ 26.13 billion in FY '12, has over 80,000 employees across five continents and is a Fortune 500 company. The Group’s vision is to be the world’s steel industry benchmark in “Value Creation” and “Corporate Citizenship” through the excellence of its people, its innovative approach and overall conduct. In 2008, Tata Steel India became the first integrated steel plant in the world, outside Japan, to be awarded the Deming Application Prize 2008 for excellence in Total Quality Management. In 2012, Tata Steel became the first integrated steel company in the world to win the Deming Grand Prize 2012 instituted by the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers.

Prabhat Sharma,
Head, Corporate Affairs & Communications
Tata Steel, Jamshedpur