The Company’s strong team of 4,330 members drives it forward with their competencies, skills, and knowledge to achieve broader strategic objectives. Ambuja Cements prioritises providing its people with a supportive and safe working environment while fostering inclusivity and diversity.
UN SDGs Impacted
Stakeholders Impacted
Employees
Customers
Channel Partners
Material Topics
- Talent Acquisition and Retention
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Employee Training and Development
- Employee Well-Being Measures
- Employee Engagement
- Performance Management System
- Freedom of Association
- Human Rights
- Health and Safety
- Customer Relationship Management
- Mental Health and Well-Being
Focus Areas
Developments and Key Initiatives |
Key Performance Indicators |
|
|---|---|---|
Employee
|
Implementing preventive health initiatives through clinical consultations Providing in-house allied services for medical exigencies and teleconsultation services Continuous monitoring of safety programmes |
5
Safety audits were conducted with 37 leadership members involved as auditors across sites |
Developing
|
Organised employee leadership and learning development programmes Arranged skill enhancement trainings for the employees |
22 hours
Average training imparted per employee |
Employee
|
Initiatives to improve employee well-being Arranging reward and recognition programmes |
100%
Participation in employee engagement initiatives |
Develop Talent
|
Identification of critical positions Identification of succession candidates internally and externally |
825
Internal mobility achieved |
Overview
Building a sustainable organisation requires a holistic approach, integrating leadership development, positive workplace culture, and strategic initiatives. This multifaceted strategy positions the Company as an industry leader and preferred employer, attracting and retaining a skilled workforce for long-term success.
The Company recognises people as its biggest asset and people management as an effective differentiator. Aligned to this during the year, the Company rolled out several HR initiatives covering inclusion, workplace safety, career building and human rights protection.
Total employees and workers (including differently-abled)
Managerial Staff Categories
Employees and Workers Strength
Spirit of Excellence
Ambuja Cements embraces agility promoting excellence, celebrating diversity and empowering employees, to become the driving force for transformation. This approach boosts innovation and adaptability, ensuring resilience.
Talent Acquisition and Retention
Ambuja Cements recognises the importance of attracting and retaining top talent aligned with its growth objectives. The Company focuses on recruiting skilled individuals, supporting their development, and charting a path for career progression. The Company used various recruitment channels and internal job postings to expand its workforce during the year. In FY 2023-24, 1,124 new employees joined the Company. Retaining top talent is crucial for Ambuja Cements, and it believes in investing in people and fostering an ecosystem that nurtures, supports career growth, and recognises achievements for a long-term commitment.
The Company during the year promoted internal talent and provided opportunities for people to evolve, this has been one of the most important aspects of cultivating an environment of learning and growth. The Company’s employee retention rate for the year was 100%.
New Employee Hires
Diversity and Inclusion
The Company prioritises inclusion and diversity in its people practices. It values and supports all employees, creating a respectful and stimulating workplace. The commitment to being an equalopportunity employer allows the Company to attract, retain, and develop fresh talent, enabling it to serve customers and communities with utmost dedication.
The Company maintain a 'zero tolerance' policy and opposes workplace discrimination and harassment, aligning with laws and internal directives to ensure a safe and respectful work environment. The Company’s comprehensive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Policy represent the cornerstone of the thriving and innovative workplace. This policy guarantees equal rights and respect for all individuals, irrespective of their gender, ethnicity, race, religion, marital status, or disability. This has fostered a workplace where people are appreciated, leading to a culture of inclusivity, and mutual respect.
Ambuja Cements has achieved a noteworthy representation of around 58% of women in critical positions like control room operators and other roles through its dedicated efforts of upholding gender diversity
Total differently-abled employees
Total differently-abled workers
BeConnected
The 'BeConnected' initiative serves as a vital platform promoting diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. Designed specifically to empower women, this initiative serves as a professional platform where connections are forged, mentoring relationships cultivated, and growth opportunities explored.
Operating on a bimonthly/quarterly basis, 'BeConnected' hosts sessions by experts, interactive activities, and transformative events that promote women employees to share experiences, collaborate on new ideas, and offer mutual support.
Through this platform, the Company nurtures the growth and wellbeing of women in the workforce within the Group and acknowledges as well as celebrates their contributions.
Some of the Events Conducted during this Year:
- International Women's Day Celebration
- Finance Management Sessions
- Awareness programme on POSH
- Nurturing health and wellness
- Outdoor activities
Focus on Equal Pay
The compensation at Ambuja Cements varies with its employees' specific skill sets and experiences and is unrelated to gender considerations. The Company is focused on the return on its human capital investment, helping it make informed decisions related to resource allocation, talent acquisition strategies and development.
Average Compensation Ratios by Work Level (%)
Training and Development
Ambuja Cements takes focused initiatives to enhance employee skills, boost performance, accelerate professional growth, and achieve outstanding performance.
The Company has established a comprehensive talent development and management programme. To build a robust learning process, it has leveraged the digital ecosystem. To provide access to immersive learning, virtual instructor-led master classes have been organised. Additionally, customised web sessions are being conducted, focusing on specific functional and leadership areas.
The Company has dedicated learning programmes for successor development, fostering a robust safety culture and improving performance management, among other key areas. At the unit level, numerous on-the-job training initiatives are implemented with the support of internal faculty, subject matter experts (SMEs), and functional leaders.
With the Group initiative, Saksham, Ambuja Cements trains its contract workforce on adopting and practising safety measures. 22,361 workers received a comprehensive four-hour safety session, resulting in a staggering 89,444 training hours invested.
Ambuja Cements has focused on recruiting fresh talent from campuses as management and graduate engineer trainees to maintain a robust talent pipeline. Their onboarding and training journey encompasses businessspecific and discipline-specific learning through the e-Vidyalaya digital portal and on-the-job training. Line managers actively support the onboarding and mentoring of lateral employees through hands-on training workshops.
The Company builds Competency across its Teams through its ‘70-20-10’ Learning Philosophy
Total number of training and awareness programmes
Total employees covered in the awareness programmes
Employees trained on skill upgradation
Employees covered in training programmes
Total topics covered in trainings
Total training hours
Key Leadership Programmes
|
Name |
Target Group |
Description |
Fulcrum
|
CXO-level leaders |
This nine-month-long programme focuses on cultivating a robust pipeline of leaders internally capable of steering diverse businesses within the Adani conglomerate. It goes beyond conventional leadership frameworks, encompassing business, and functional and commercial acumen, strategic leadership, and capacity building |
Takshashila
|
Senior-level managers |
A 12-month programme conducted in collaboration with the Indian School of Business prepares participants for leadership excellence. The programme includes classroom learning, interactive sessions, 360-degree feedback, action learning projects, and individual coaching sessions |
NorthStar
|
Middle-level managers |
This initiative is an 11-month journey designed in collaboration with Ivy League institutions to develop versatile and adaptable middle-level leaders. It covers business cycles, financial and people management, communication skills and strategic needs |
e-Vidyalaya
Learning
|
All employees |
A collaborative e-learning initiative with Skillsoft has been established, offering access to the digital learning portal Percipio and making learning more accessible, easier, and effective. It provides a broad spectrum of learning resources covering business, productivity, collaboration, and digital transformation Seeking developmental input from all employees concerning their functional and behavioural needs, Ambuja Cements implemented in-person training programmes and/or digital learning modules |
ALAP Programme by
Group CFO
|
Functional leaders and senior-level managers |
The programme is anchored by Group CFO. It focuses on training the functional leaders and senior-level managers. The ones trained in the first batch are supposed to train the next batch and at the same time, themselves move to the next level of training. Training sessions focus on financial strategy, governance, ESG integration etc. Seeking developmental input from all employees concerning their functional and behavioural needs, Ambuja Cements implemented in-person training programmes and/or digital learning modules |
Sharpening Skills of Regional Sales Managers
The Company enrolled 100% of its regional sales managers in a comprehensive training programme comprising four modules, each spanning two hours to empower them. Critical topics, including understanding goals and objectives, working with behaviours and motivation, impactful challenges, and influential communication, were covered in the modules. This virtual programme included homework, assignments, and post-programme follow-up calls. The programme's feedback was positive, rated 9.67 out of 10.
Employee Engagement
The Company’s commitment to employee engagement is manifested across initiatives, fostering a sense of belonging and involvement. From team building, surveys, engagement programmes and town hall meetings to leadership talks, Ambuja Cements strives to create an engaging atmosphere that nurtures growth.
Furthermore, the Company’s monthly and quarterly reward and recognition programmes, such as employee spot awards and employee of the month in each function, cultivate a culture of appreciation and incentivise the workforce to exceed expectations. The Long Service awards recognise employees who have completed 10+ years with the Company, honouring their dedicated commitment.
Ambuja Cements actively engages with its employees through comprehensive surveys to understand their experiences and enhance their well-being while fostering a positive work environment.
Performance Management System
The Company’s robust performance management system is the architect promoting innovation, quality, and seamless workforce collaboration.
The SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) are a roadmap to turn individual actions into organisational goals. Strategies like team involvement and breaking down goals into milestones amplify the impact, transforming SMART goals from a framework into a dynamic path toward fulfilment.
Feedback serves as the mortar binding goals to performance, with bi-directional reviews and a 360-degree feedback element fostering trust, transparency, and continuous improvement. Half yearly reviews, enriched with employee feedback, act as crucial checkpoints in an ongoing performance management process, ensuring each brick laid contributes to a more robust structure.
Performance Appraisal
Ambuja Cements' performance appraisal process covers performance measurement, yearend review, rating, promotion recommendations, moderation, and individual feedback. Utilising the bell curve performance appraisal, the Company assesses and compares employee performance within specific categories, aiding in identifying high performers and areas for improvement. This method informs decisions on promotions, rewards, and career development,effectively differentiating employee performance. All eligible employees, including permanent workers, undergo an annual performance appraisal, while nonpermanent workers' evaluations are conducted by contractors based on outlined conditions.
Human Rights
Ambuja Cements strives to create a positive impact on human rights within the organisation and the communities in which it operates. The Company is committed to upholding essential human rights as it is integral to the core values and corporate responsibility agenda.
The Company’s human rights policy is guided by internationally recognised frameworks, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This comprehensive policy outlines the Company’s commitment to respect and protect human rights in all operations.
Employees and workers trained on human rights issues
Employee Well-being Measures
The Company cares deeply about holistic employee well-being, offering comprehensive support programmes, and a friendly work environment. The Company’s commitment includes providing flexible working hours and emphasising work-life balance. The Company conducts regular health check-ups, offers comprehensive health insurance and childcare facilities, and celebrates significant events.
Ambuja Cements promotes physical fitness through initiatives like fitness classes, sports facilities, wellness challenges, and access to health-related resources. The Company offers parental leave options to support employees during early parenthood. Understanding the impact of workplace stress, it actively promotes initiatives to support employees' mental and emotional well-being.
The Company has launched an emotional wellness programme under the Adani Cares platform in collaboration with the Independent Counselling and Advisory Services.
The newly-launched Adani Emcare mobile app is used to simplify healthcare management for employees and their families. The application features a dashboard displaying basic health reports, historical health checkup data, graphical health trends, blood bank and blood group directories, cashless hospital integration, downloadable mediclaim cards, a health library, and the ability to upload personal health documents. Security measures are undertaken to ensure that only employees with integrated data can access the application.
Health and Safety
The Company endeavours to build a more robust safety culture across the Ambuja family to achieve ‘zero harm’. The journey to achieve this goal is ensured through six pillars – leadership commitment and governance; system and process specific safety performance; safe execution strategy; training and capability building; system assurance including technological intervention; safety engagements under #SafetyCulture and reward and recognition at various levels.
Ambuja Cements is progressing its safety culture commitment by adopting bottom-up and topdown approaches based on the accountability of the leadership team.
Safety Culture 2.0 Pyramid Box (Bottom-up and Top-down Approach)
Top-down Approach
The Company is enhancing its safety systems and processes through new-age thinking and adopting initiatives like implementing a safety management system and safety governance to improve controls leading to a culture of Zero Harm. Safety Leadership stands at the core of this transformation process demonstrating a culture of WeCare.
Bottom-up Approach
The Company is implementing the WeCare programme that helps engage people at the sites in implementing safety programmes, exercising controls and above all driving engagement. Innovative programmes like the Saksham induction pack was introduced to raise awareness amongst all workmen especially contractual to bring them onboard the journey of safety excellence.
Safety Performance for FY 2023-24
Initiatives to Strengthen Safety Performance
Leadership Commitment and Governance
Incorporated safety key performance indicators into performance appraisals and senior leadership engagement
Conducted safety training with lessons learnt from past decades’ fatal incidents
Set up governance on high-risk processes like, critical control management, Rail yard isolation, Structural integrity assurance, Electrical safety, Process Safety Management backed by monthly management reviews
Enhanced capability building of engineers and demonstrated safety leadership at sites through reporting and addressing individual concerns
Safety concern and hazards reported and corrected
Near misses reported and corrective actions taken
Safety committee meetings conducted
Training and Capability Building
Identified training needs across the plants on critical safety competencies
Enrolled Process Engineers in Logistics and Process Safety Excellence, LPSE Programme at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur
Trained line managers on risk assessment, incident investigation and highrisk activities for capability enhancement
Safety enhancement initiatives like organising project safety workshops and sharing incident learning videos
Saksham training for enhancing contract worker capability aided by video based learning modules and also Video-based incident reconstruction
Workers trained under this programme in 112 days
Man hours spent on training
Mock drills conducted
Safety Execution Strategy at Ambuja
Ambuja has always kept people first and built systems and processes to achieve the highest standards in its goal towards achieving zero harm across the organisation including all employees, associates, and contractor workmen. Ambuja Cements is prioritising hard control interventions and performing safety audits and reviews. With its WeCare framework of care-based safety management system, digital enablers and competency building at the core, the Company strives to inculcate a comprehensive safety culture. It emphasises employee coordination to identify key success factors, cultural shift initiatives, technology, innovation initiatives, etc. The Company also implemented various programmes and conducted assurance audits to enhance risk awareness and mitigation at its plants.
Safety audits were conducted with 37 leadership members involved as auditors across sites
Permits to work audits conducted
Technological Intervention for System Assurance
Ambuja Cements implemented a new tool, Benchmark Gensuite, for reporting safety indicators in line with the group. The Company also adopted advance methods i.e. drone applications during highrisk processes like shutdowns and silo cleaning. The Company also manages, monitors, and analyses critical parameters using an One India dashboard for effective safety management.
Assured system compliances through safety management system audits
#SafetyCulture
#SafetyCulture is Adani’s flagship brand identity for the safety promotion. The Company develops all its safety interventions, programmes, and engagements under this initiative. Ambuja Cements actively engages with its internal stakeholders and communities by running safety theme-based campaigns and imparting safety training across all the levels.
Achieved across all high-risk activities and 8 manufacturing units during FY 2023-24
OH&S policy distributed and communicated at all plants
Safety Engagements and Rewards and Recognitions
The Company undertakes quarterly safety campaigns targeting work at height ‘Unchaai’ and electrical safety ‘Urja’ for safety enhancement across the organisation. It conducts monthly safety themes to engage stakeholders and enhance competency and compliance. Ambuja Cements encourages best-in-class safety practices and facilitates knowledge-sharing sessions, often inviting industry experts. The Company also conducts Saksham Samvaad, an integral part of the Saksham programme, to facilitate direct interaction between cement business leadership and the workforce, drawing participation from 415 cement business leaders.
Employee Health Initiatives
Prioritising employee health, Ambuja Cements undertakes a wide spectrum of initiatives. The Company arranged OHS setups at sites for healthcare services, compliance with health-related requirements and OHS teams focusing on medical fitness, suitable work placement, first aid, preventive healthcare, health education and surveillance.
Occupational Health
Key Initiatives
Round-the-clock medical staff
First-aid and ambulance services
Dust prevention mist water spraying
Occupational health centres
Canteen facilities and rest sheds
Non-Occupational Health
Key Initiatives
Round-Preventive health initiatives
Health awareness
In-house allied services
Tele-consultation services
Clinical support during hospitalisation
Case Study
Cultivating the Safety Culture under ‘udAAAn’
Ambuja Cements has undertaken several initiatives to improve the safety at the Company’s facilities
- Installed video analyticsbased camera monitoring with remote access, cleaned two cement silos and one clinker silo at Kymore
- Conducted ‘Safe udAAAn’ championship to invite ideas to make the workplace safer
- Conducted coal safety workshop which received positive reviews and was incredibly successful – the workshop gave insights into several important aspects regarding coal with participants coming out of it with enhanced knowledge and skills
- Made a structured approach towards handling coal which is being used across operations
- Ambuja Cements invested in SME deployment at sites to ensure quality training delivery through a competent agency
- The Company also worked towards enhancement of skill for the safety professionals by giving them an opportunity to undergo ISO45001 lead auditors programme
- Four of the process engineers were also sponsored for a 16 week LPSE (Logistics and Process Excellence) certification programme at IIT, Kharagpur
