Bhubaneswar/Jamshedpur, Feb 10: Tata Steel’s Kalinganagar and Meramandali plants in Odisha have received the prestigious Responsible Steel certification, a company statement said.
Responsible Steel is a global multi-stakeholder standard and certification initiative that works with steel producers, consumers, and intermediaries towards building a sustainable steel industry by addressing pressing challenges including climate change, diversity and human rights, it said.
Its certification process involves a detailed review of key policies and work at the site by an independent external assessor.
Tata Steel CEO and MD TV Narendran said, “The Responsible Steel certification for our sites is a testament to Tata Steel’s unwavering commitment to sustainability. It reflects our proactive approach towards addressing the evolving challenges of the steel industry and shaping a better tomorrow. We are progressing well towards our target of certifying all our existing steelmaking sites in India by 2025.”
Three facilities in Jamshedpur — Steel Works, Tubes Division, and Cold Rolling Mill (Bara) — were awarded the certification in October 2022.
In India, Tata Steel now has more than 90 per cent of its steel production from Responsible Steel-certified sites, the statement said.
The inclusion of Kalinganagar and Meramandali plants reaffirms the company’s dedication to responsible business practices and environmental stewardship, it said.
Annie Heaton, CEO of Responsible Steel, said that with the audit process for these two new site certifications, Tata Steel has demonstrated its commitment to progressing its social and environmental responsibilities.
The Responsible Steel Standard goes beyond managing a site’s environmental impacts, and aims to support sites to ensure the well-being of the site’s workers and local communities, Heaton added.
Tata Steel was the first member of Responsible Steel from India and is undergoing assessment under the Responsible Steel framework for its various sites. (PTI)