Providing Sustainable Chemistry Solutions

With a presence in more than 40 countries and offering a wide array of products that include inorganic chemistry products, advanced nano- material solutions, and electrochemistry solutions for energy storage, the company has an ambitious mission, “to be a leading sustainable chemistry solutions company.” Tata Chemicals has conducted several vulnerability studies (including the extreme 2-Degree Scenario analysis) where the organisation runs stress tests on their long-term business resilience. This was successfully done at their Mithapur plant to serve the dual purpose of business continuity and protection of local communities. 

The company also has its own internal carbon price which it uses as a tool for assessment of projects prior to putting them into implementation. However, the price for FY20 has not been indicated by the company in its integrated report for FY20. Following the best global practices, the company has Science-Based Targets to commit to reducing its absolute carbon footprint. 

Sustainable Practices

Tata Chemicals has outlined a Climate Change Strategy for 2030 which is aimed at reducing carbon emissions by 30 per cent, becoming water neutral and achieving a circular economy in its value chain. The company has undertaken some initiatives to address energy efficiency in its operations, identified as a result of a carbon footprint baseline study. Some of these initiatives are, the implant of an on-off timer system in all street lights, replacement of mercury bulb with a f luorescent bulb, low voltage variable frequency drivers for throttled and recirculation applications and the use of thermograph audits and actions for the steam distribution network. 

The company has reported in FY20 an increase in its year-onyear emissions, which now stands at 4.447 million tCO2e. This might improve in the future as Tata Chemicals Europe has committed to invest in carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) technology in 2021. The CCU plant will capture CO2 from the flue gases emitted from its combined heat and power plant and transform it into a key raw material for manufacturing sodium bicarbonate, thereby reducing emissions. The company says that the technology will be capable of capturing up to 40,000 tonnes per year of CO2. Tata Chemicals is committed to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and nearly 99 per cent of all plastic waste was offset this year in accordance with the EPR action plan. 

At a whopping 47,737 TJ of direct energy consumed from fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas, Tata Chemicals has reported a 3 per cent increase in its energy consumption over FY19. This was despite innovations such as the use of plastic waste as an alternate fuel source. The company has undertaken some initiatives to address energy efficiency in its operations, identified as a result of a carbon footprint baseline study. On the indirect energy consumption front too Tata Chemicals saw an increase of 24 per cent, recording consumption of 315 TJ in FY20 as compared to 254 TJ in FY19. The company also has not disclosed the quantity of renewables in its energy mix. An increase was also reported in Scopes 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions. 

Employee Diversity

In Tata Chemicals India, the share of temporary employees is high. There are 3,036 contractual or temporary employees while the number of permanent employees is much less at 1826. It is good news that the company has reported 1 fatality in FY19, as compared to 2 in FY18. However, only 138 (7.5 per cent) out of 1820 permanent employees are women - a very low number which is in line with the sector average of 7 per cent. The number of permanent employees with disabilities is eight. Tata Chemicals is aligned to the Tata Group’s Sustainability Policy. The company regularly monitors its performance on key sustainability indicators using the internally developed tools, Responsible Manufacturing Index and the Sustainability Assessment Framework. There are quarterly reviews of the company’s sustainability performance under the ‘Sustainability Roadmap and Environmental Compliance Status’ which involves the participation of the Board.