MD & CEO’s Message
At Ambuja, sustainability and competitiveness are not mutually exclusive, but go hand-in-hand. ACL’s vision of being the most competitive and sustainable company in our industry guides us in all our endeavours.
It was also the motivation behind Ambuja adopting True Value in 2013 – a methodology that encapsulated financial, social and environmental values into a single financial figure. This triple bottom-line accounting (People, Planet, and Profit) encompassed the three pillars of sustainability.
Our vision also aligns with the LafargeHolcim Group’s Sustainability Strategy: The 2030 Plan. With over 180 years of combined experience, the Group aims to usher in a new era of cutting-edge technologies and innovations in the building materials industry, to address the challenges of the 21st century. The Group’s 2030 Plan envisions the construction sector of tomorrow will be innovative, climate neutral and circular in its use of resources. It will be respectful of water and nature, and inclusive – thus enhancing the quality of life.
At Ambuja, the Group’s 2030 Plan is crucial in developing ACL’s long term sustainability vision, focusing on disclosures in our performance across environmental, social, economic and corporate governance parameters of sustainability. It reflects concern on the depletion of natural resources, and is mindful of our responsibility to mitigate the global challenge of climate change. Hence, this year’s report is themed around our initiatives that have successfully helped reduce our carbon footprint.
It is evident that the company is progressing towards its goal of improving the carbon footprint. Since 1990, Ambuja has been recording a reduction in its carbon emission - almost 30% reduction till 2015. Over the years, Ambuja has also been enjoying a leadership position in sustainability with many firsts to its credit. In 2014, it raced past other cement companies to the top, at a commendable score of 92 (out of 100) and secured a rank of 10 across sectors in the highly prestigious Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI). Other achievements include the shift to Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC), which comprises 92% of total cement sales by Ambuja in 2015; besides being the first Indian cement company to obtain ISO 14064 Certification.
Ambuja has also effectively aligned itself with leading organisations nationally and globally in setting benchmarks in participation with the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) of the World Business Council; the India Business and Biodiversity Initiative (IBBI) to develop new standards and policies for biodiversity conservation; and the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for Emerging Markets 2015.
Health and safety is our overarching value and we have maintained strong emphasis by reinforcing our progress through the program, ‘We Care’. This initiative is all-encompassing and brings under its ambit all our stakeholders, effectively helping to transform operations as well as attitudes towards safety. The We Care initiative has led the way in training and capability building, and is on track to achieving our goal of Zero Harm.
Ambuja’s highly motivated team continues to be the cornerstone of the company’s success and growth. Complementing this is a well-devised market strategy, innovative and sustainable manufacturing practices, a robust value chain, strong dealer and retailer networks, value added services and knowledge centres – all combining to ensure we emerge stronger, with the famed ‘Giant Strength’, for our stakeholders.
Assessing our True Value has put us in a stronger position to respond to the social and environmental changes taking place in India. It is a qualitative measurement of our interaction with the environment and society, that helps us to make strategic business decisions. Furthermore, by identifying a portfolio of cost-effective projects, we will continue to reduce costs, increase earnings and most importantly, increase our True Value in the future, and therein lies our growth.
Sustainability is an integral part of our operations, and this report helps us to prioritise and take strategic decisions for improving the company’s sustainability efforts. We believe that this positive outlook, coupled with strong business ethics, will lead us to achieve our larger vision to be the most sustainable and competitive company in the industry.
