At Tata Communications, we believe in creating a world where everyone has equal access to technology and can thrive in a sustainable and interconnected manner. By embracing Inclusivity, Sustainability, and Hyperconnectivity, we envision a future that is conducive for individuals and communities. This includes access to clean energy, transforming existing production chains into circular processes, bringing innovations to future-proof our solutions and enhancing our operations towards sustainable development.
We have intertwined sustainability into our business model and are to make a positive difference to the society and stakeholders with whom we engage with. By increasing the share of renewable energy in our energy consumption, driving greater diversity and inclusion in our ways of working and supporting our customers to transform their business.
We believe, every step counts and as an organisation, each and every one of our employees play an important role in this endeavour.
Personally, I think technology is a critical facilitator of global growth, catalysing societal transformation and climate action. We have recently announced the 3C Sustainability strategy i.e., long terms goals on Climate Action, Customer GHG Savings and Circular economies. Our commitment to be Net Zero by 2035 across our global operations reflects our responsibility to innovate, integrate and empower with inclusive and sustainable solutions, not only for us but society and customers at large.
This report details how we continue to address our most important environmental, social and governance aspects for the long-term success of our business and our better future.
In line with the Paris agreement, to limit global warming by 1.5 degree Centigrade, we are focused on decarbonising our operations by optimising our energy growth and increasing our renewable energy portfolio. The solar power installation of 8.4 MW at the Dighi campus in Pune, India during the fiscal year was a significant milestone for us, taking our total renewable energy footprint to 18%. For our international operations, we acquired Energy Attribute Certificates for the Portland and Hillsboro sites in US. Additionally, we completed our first solar power opex model project in Seixal, Portugal.
This year we made a significant progress (67% recycling) in our non-hazardous waste recycling capacity. We reduced our fresh-water consumption by 11% from FY 2020, and upgraded our rainwater harvesting facilities in India to further minimise our impact on the environment.
We are committed to ensure employee satisfaction, motivation and loyalty through robust engagement and continuous skill development, geared towards their well-being and growth. During the fiscal, we also launched multiple programmes to improve diversity, reduce attrition and promote growth and development of our women employees. Our efforts towards employee wellbeing and people management have earned us the award for ‘Best Companies to Work For’ for the sixth year in a row, by ‘Great Place to Work’ and we have been honoured for the fourth time in a row as ‘Best Workplaces for Women’ by ‘Great Place to Work’.
We remain focused on achieving ‘Zero Harm’ at the workplace. I am proud to report that we recorded zero fatality within our operations and Loss Time Injuries (LTIs) decreased by 16% in comparison to last year. Our interventions, along with audits, training, wellness programmes and capacity building efforts for employees and the contract workforce has enabled us to be listed among the 40 Best Workplaces in Health and Wellness 2022 in India. We have also been honoured with multiple other awards and recognitions for our continuous success in this domain.
As a purpose-led organisation, we aim to create value for all our stakeholders through concerted efforts that make a difference to the lives of underserved communities.
Our community development programmes derive inspiration from Tata Group’s philosophy and our vision of ‘creating connected societies to advance the well-being of people and planet’. Our CSR projects leverage our core expertise, partnerships, infrastructure and other resources to create shared value for the community we serve in the long term. We rejuvenated and restored the Nagan Thangal Lake in Chennai, India, through Public Private Partnership, to ensure groundwater recharge and provide access to safe drinking water for the community. Additionally, blue-green learning and knowledge centre was constructed for students to provide information about biodiversity, indigenous plant species, and flora and fauna.
During the fiscal, we expanded the geographical coverage of our CSR activities. With a focus on healthcare, we initiated a project, ‘VCan Assist’, to benefit cancer patients across India. This initiative helped cancer patients from underdeveloped regions to avail better treatment facilities. We also extended our support for disaster relief to support the victims of the Assam flood in 2022, in collaboration with other Tata group companies. Together with the district administration, Assam Rifles and Tata volunteers, the programme reached out to the most inaccessible areas and touched the lives of over 6,000 individuals.
We operate with a clear focus on maintaining transparency, accountability, and high ethical standards. We emphasise the importance of ethical compliance, anti-corruption initiatives and governance policies. Our extensive training programmes and strong third party compliance processes ensure that we operate with integrity in all aspects of our organisation.
We reinforce our focus on Ethics through our annual initiative known as ‘Ethics Week’, where learning and knowledge of Business Ethics is embraced by all of our employees, as part of our commitment to preserving and promoting the highest ethical standards within the Company. We emphasise the importance of ethical compliance and good governance to operate with integrity and transparency. It enables our people to embrace ethical practices and reiterates the importance of operating with morals and values as a guiding principle for a value accretive organisation.
We also rolled out a comprehensive Business & Human Rights policy, aligning to internationally recognised frameworks, to highlight our commitment to adhere to the highest moral standards and ethical values.
The fiscal 2022-23 further bolstered our journey of driving sustainable and inclusive change. With our emphasis on creating shared value, we continue to empower a digital future that holds the promise of delivering holistic value for people, planet and communities. It is through our deep technical expertise and determination to reimagine the technology landscape, we are building a secure and connected digital future – to benefit a diverse ecosystem of stakeholders.
Regards,
Managing Director & CEO
