Stepping-up Sustainability Commitment

We are taking bold steps, evaluating all our operations and investments, and embedding sustainability in our strategic priorities to protect the environment and the communities. Our sustainability goals are closely aligned with the UN SDGs and reflect our commitment to be a transparent and responsible organisation.

Sustainability priorities

Carbon emissions:

Capturing carbon in usable form

Circular economy:

Reducing waste and converting it to wealth

Biodiversity:

Being resource efficient, conserving habitats and focussing on tree plantation

Sustainability goals and how we are achieving them

Goals and targets

Maintaining business leadership position and focussing on cost efficiency

Focussing on high-return business and enhancing shareholders' value

Product stewardship

How are we achieving

Capacity expansion plan of major products with a focus on carbon reduction

Focus on developing value-added products (i.e. Bicarb, Highly Dispersible Silica)

Digital ecosystem to enhance operational efficiency and productivity

Reducing environmental impact by developing more water-based formulations than solvent-based products

Goals and targets

Commitment to Science Based Target initiative

Reducing environmental impact of our manufacturing operations through waste management and renewable energy initiatives

Focussing on reducing carbon emissions, becoming water neutral and achieving 100% packaging material recycling

How are we achieving

Conducting climate change risk assessment and waste mapping study

Promoting smart agriculture

Revamping energy and emissions roadmap at plant level

Lowering product lifecycle impact

Energy audits

Transitioning to clean fuels and technology

Initiating carbon capture and conversion to usable form project at TCE. Conducting feasibility study for more such initiatives

Implementing continuous air emissions monitoring systems

Biodiversity conservation projects

Responsible sourcing

Innovating to manage waste, especially plastic

Goals and targets

3 million tree plantations by 2030

Promoting species conservation

Strengthening biodiversity around our operations for both natural and human communities

How are we achieving

Plantation on 500 acres of land (biodiversity reserve, mangroves, mines area, salt works, and wastelands, new sites, etc.

Establishment of 'Prakriti' Mitra-Sakhi Mandals

Restoration and conservation of coral reefs: coverage of new reef in 2,000 m2 area

Sustainability framework

Our sustainability strategy and policies support best practices and drives encouraging change across the business. They are underlined by our corporate strategy which aims to integrate sustainability across business, having in place robust systems and processes and focussing on operational efficiencies and carbon abatement plans. The Safety, Health, Environment and Sustainability and Risk Management Committees have oversight and ultimate responsibility for sustainability matters. They are regularly updated on performance across all internally defined sustainability-related material risk matters. We have facilitated e-enablement for tracking sustainability KPIs, the performance of which are used to review strategy on an annual basis.

Key sustainability initiatives undertaken in FY 2019-20

Mithapur

Replaced traditional lights with LED lights and undertook VFD conversion for HRT, HCT and slurry feed pump resulting in total power savings of 2,423,023 kWh

Undertook technology switch-over of CCG Electrolysers from De Nora to UHDE which will save 500 kWh per tonne of Caustic

Magadi

Replaced 160W mercury vapour flood lamp with 100W LED flood lamp for outdoor applications and 5ft fluorescent lamps with 5ft LED lamp for indoor application

Replaced calciner refractories and furnace chamber

Installed and commissioned a waste oil recycling system

Installed two 1.2 kW solar-powered high-mast lighting systems

USA

Undertook energy efficiency projects, resulting in estimated yearly power savings of 6,364,156 kWh and 20% less coal usage. These projects include:

Optimisation of boiler electrostatic precipitator (ESP)

GR2 Dryer 2 Draft Fan VFD

GR3 Fan Upgrades

Baghouse on-demand purging

Exploring applications for solar and wind opportunities

UK

TCE has detailed list of opportunities to conserve resources and efficiency improvements planned with new boiler at Middlewich

Project sanctioned to increase electricity generation on the Lostock steam turbine and expected to increase electricity generation of the turbine saving the site around £70k per annum with this steam-generated electricity displacing electricity generated from natural gas thus reducing the carbon footprint of the site

Metering projects are underway across the sites to better understand their electricity consumption and implement focussed efficiency projects

Use of highly integrated heating system avoids cooling of the water and helps to reduce our energy needs

Mithapur

Replaced CEHP 1 economiser, installed sonic soot blower in CEHP 1 & 2 and automatic blowdown system in HPB 3 boiler, resulting in approximate annual coal savings of 1,248 tonnes

Magadi

Kajiado dust control project to reduce dust emission

Ongoing project to instal CEMS (Continuous Emission Monitoring System) at ESP Plant

USA

Exploring the elimination of coal by converting coal-fired boilers to natural gas along with the potential to reduce GHG emission by 30% by installing new soot blower and exploring carbon capture / offsets

UK

Invested in a contemporary boiler plant at the British Salt plant that will have ~94% efficiency (80% currently) translating to 8,500 TPA reduction in CO2

Winnington CHP, part of TCE's Northwich operations, is developing a Carbon Capture and Utilisation scheme for capturing food and pharmaceutical grade CO2 and will use it in the Sodium Bicarbonate plant. This global first initiative will contribute to a 40,000 TPA reduction in CO2 emissions

Mithapur

Used plastic waste (96 tonnes) and waste/spent oil (9,300 litres) as alternative fuel for Cement plant

Focussed on bulk transportation of products through railway, bulkers, and containers

Ensured 100% fly ash utilisation and 87.6% effluent solids filtration and utilisation

Magadi

Initiated recycling of waste oil, torn plastic and scrap metal

Conducted ESIA (Environment Social Impact Assessment) study for waste disposal guidance

USA

Implemented a new solid waste management policy that necessitates recording of waste volumes/streams and explores the potential for recycling

Installed a Soda Ash recovery unit that increased operational efficiency of deca units

Implemented a sulphate reduction project that captures additional purge from evaporator bodies to feed purge deca recovery units

Rerouted mud stream so that it can be transported and processed in the paste plant

UK

Continued to ensure that effluent discharges are within permissible standards and sent out waste ash and lime to third parties for reuse.

Mithapur

Replaced resin at water softening plant, curbing chemical consumption and effluent generation

Continued water harvesting programme in the community

Magadi

Ongoing project on domestic sewerage

Installation of meters and push taps to control water usage

USA

The British Salt site at Middlewich harvested rainwater for use within the plant. The Sodium Bicarbonate plant returns water abstracted from the river Weaver for cooling purposes, incurring a net zero consumption

Addressing climate change

Climate change is an important agenda for us. Being one of the leading chemical companies with vast global operations, we aspire to play an enabling role in transitioning to a low-carbon economy. To achieve this, we have signed up the commitment to Science Based Target initiatives and have in place Climate Change Strategy for 2030 aimed at reducing carbon emissions by 30%, becoming water neutral and achieving circular economy in our value chain. We have initiated this journey by conducting a climate change risk assessment for Mithapur and are working on an action plan. We are ensuring the effectiveness of our climate action through active involvement of the Board and top leadership. The Executive Committee of Board reviews and mentors sustainability and climate change initiatives. The Board also provides guidance and support to the management.

Sustainability is embedded in the way we do business. It is not just about energy & water efficiency, adopting circular economy principles, mitigation of climate change and biodiversity impacts of business; it's about seeing the complete picture, a 360 degree view that considers all stakeholders' needs and blends both financial and non-financial goals into key business strategies.

Alka Talwar

Chief CSR & Sustainability Officer

Rehabilitating waterfowls

The evaporation ponds at TCNA are a stopover site for migratory birds, especially waterfowl, which was a challenge as their bodies would be covered by soda ash. A 'Waterfowl Rehabilitation Programme' was undertaken, with permission from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The programme required TCNA personnel to keep waterfowl and other wildlife away from the evaporation ponds. The affected waterfowl were brought to the rehabilitation room and allowed to swim in a tank with warm water. This helped dissolve the soda ash on their bodies. They were then put through some rest and recovery steps and then released near the Blacks Fork River or Green River. A total of 80 waterfowl were rehabilitated and released in 2019.

Sustainability Highlights