~ The project will expand to 34 schools in phase III, reach out to over 9,000 students & 450 teachers directly and ~5,00,000 community members indirectly ~

Tata Steel has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) for the third phase of Green School project that will increase the project’s area of influence to 34 schools in Jharkhand and Odisha. The third phase of the project will be implemented in four new schools in Angul, Odisha, and is expected to reach out to more than 9000 school children and 450 teachers directly and ~5,00,000 community members indirectly.

The MoU was signed by Dr Ajay Mathur, DG, TERI and Mr. Chanakya Chaudhary, VP, Corporate Services, Tata Steel, in New Delhi on Sep 4, 2019. Dr Annapurna Vancheswaran, Senior Director, TERI, and Mr. Pankaj Satija, Chief, Regulatory Affairs, Tata Steel, along with other dignitaries from TERI and Tata Steel were also present on the occasion.

Mr. Pankaj Satija, Chief, Regulatory Affairs, Tata Steel, said: “The project, envisaged and inspired from the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference - COP 21, has seen significant growth in the last two years. We see a lot of potential in this initiative and strongly believe that taking the larger message of conserving biodiversity and waste management to school children not only sensitises future generations but also helps create awareness among homes, neighbourhoods and the society at large. We are confident the third phase of the project will drive enhanced awareness and larger impact.” 

Dr. Ajay Mathur, Director General, TERI, said: “As we get into the implementation of Phase III of the project, I see a lot of potential in training of teachers for a much larger impact. Teacher empowerment training will provide the recipe of moving ahead and through this we aim at making this a replicable model. I am delighted at this opportunity and wish the project to continue making positive impact in schools of Jharkhand and Odisha.”

Under the MoU, the Green School Project will focus to engage the school fraternity in taking actions to achieve viable impacts in and around the school campuses with focus on biodiversity and waste management issues. It will create awareness among students on climate change and sustainable lifestyle that can help mitigate the adverse impact of climate change. This intent is to promote environmental stewardship through both classroom and outdoor activities to improve their critical, interdisciplinary and holistic thinking.

The third phase of the project will help in empowering the next generation through education, project-based learning and community service. The students will be engaged to develop sustainable solutions for environment within school and in their immediate neighbourhood that will subsequently result in establishing resource-efficient schools.

The Green School Project aims at increasing the level of environmental consciousness among the students of class VI to VIII. Starting as a pilot project in 2017 and covering just 10 schools across Tata Steel operational areas of Joda, Noamundi, Khondbond, Jajpur, Sukinda, West Bokaro and Jharia, the project has since then expanded to 30 schools across the same locations in the second phase and touched more than 7500 students directly and ~40,000 students indirectly. Environment changes and sustainability training was imparted to 346 teachers.

About TERI

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is an independent, multi-dimensional organisation, with capabilities in research, policy, consultancy and implementation. It has pioneered conversations and action in the energy, environment, climate change, and sustainability space for over four decades.

The institute's research and research-based solutions have had a transformative impact on industry and communities. Headquartered in New Delhi, it has regional centres and campuses in Gurugram, Bengaluru, Guwahati, Mumbai, Panaji, and Nainital, supported by a multidisciplinary team of scientists, sociologists, economists and engineers, and state-of-the-art infrastructure.

About Tata Steel                         
Tata Steel Group is among the top global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 33 million tonnes per annum (MnTPA). It is one of the world's most geographically-diversified steel producers, with operations and commercial presence across the world. The group (excluding SEA operations) recorded a consolidated turnover of US $22.67 billion in the financial year ending March 31, 2019. In 2018, Tata Steel acquired Bhushan Steel Ltd (now renamed as Tata Steel BSL Ltd).

A Great Place to Work-Certified^TM organisation, Tata Steel Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures, is spread across five continents with an employee base of over 65,000.

Tata Steel retained the ‘Global Steel Industry Leader’ position in the DJSI 2018. The Company has been recognised as the Climate Disclosure Leader in ‘Steel category’ by CDP (2017). Besides being a member of the World Steel Climate Action Programme, Tata Steel has won several awards including the Prime Minister’s Trophy for the best performing integrated steel plant for 2016-17, ‘GreenPro’ certification for products (Tata Pravesh Steel Doors, Tata Structura, Tata Pipes) by CII, Authorized Economic Operator  (AEO) status (Tier 2) by the Directorate of International Customs (Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India), ‘Corporate Strategy Award’ by Mint (2018), Golden Peacock Award for Risk Management (2018) and Best Risk Management Framework & Systems Award (2019) by CNBC TV18. The Company also received the ‘Most Ethical Company’ award from Ethisphere Institute for the eight time (2019), Steel Sustainability Champion (2018) by the World Steel Association, Dun & Bradstreet Corporate Awards (2019), Golden Peacock HR Excellence Award by Institute of Directors (2018), ‘Best Companies To Work For’ recognition by Business Today, 'Asia's Best Integrated Report' award by the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (2017), among several others.

In 2018, the Company launched a corporate brand campaign #WeAlsoMakeTomorrow www.wealsomaketomorrow.com

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