Our workforce is key to executing our strategy of securing our goals and business growth. By providing them with an enabling and performance-driven workplace, protecting their interests and well-being, and supporting their growth and development, we are shaping a future-ready organisation. Our pioneering efforts in diversity & inclusion, and empowering our people through HR digitalisation, propel our journey of innovation, excellence, and sustainable long-term growth.
Community engagement & development
Healthy, safety & well-being
Talent attraction & retention
Diversity, equal opportunity & inclusion
Risk management & controls
Data privacy & cybersecurity
Labour practices
Learning & development
Innovation R&D
Pandemic response & preparedness
Human rights
Strengthening cost leadership
Progressing towards a sustainable future
Permanent employees (Executives)
Permanent workers (Non-Executives)
Other than permanent workers (contractual workforce)
Local Employment
Local Employment in senior management at sites
Women in EXCO**
Board diversity
Women in executive workforce
Training man-days for executives’ skill upgradation
Engineers
MBAs & Chartered Accountants
Attrition rate among executives
Average age of executive workforce
Average training man-days per employee
High potentials (HiPo)
*% of the executive workforce as on March 31, 2024
**including invitees
*Data pertains to Executives
Our HR vision is to develop our PEOPLE, PARTNERSHIPS, and to build a FUTURE-READY organisation
Our HR philosophy is inspired by the belief that people are at the centre of our growth strategy. It is led by our vision to be the most admired employer brand where every employee can openly engage within the organisation with a clear sense of ownership and develop in a high-performance environment to serve as our best brand ambassador.
We are committed to promoting diversity within the organisation, among our business partners and in the larger communities we collaborate with. At the workplace, we proactively aim to achieve workforce diversity, recognising its pivotal role in driving high performance. To this end, we have prioritised achieving gender parity, ensuring equal opportunities and representation for employees across genders and hierarchical levels. The commitment extends right from senior leadership and decision-making bodies to enabling functions. Our efforts are manifested in our unique and vibrant talent pool, comprising people from diverse geographies, minorities, ethnicities and cultures.
No Questions Asked policy
Furthermore, we continuously strive to reinforce our position as an equal-opportunity employer in terms of career growth and reward structure. Our organisation’s cultural ethos provides for individuals to stay comfortable in their own skin and an ecosystem to thrive. We are fostering an LGBTQ+ friendly workplace and ensuring their inclusion through role identification, sensitisation, creation of infrastructure and onboarding talent. 16 transgender employees are now proudly engaged in front-end roles like health care, marketing and supply chain, making valuable contributions. We are also exploring partnerships with academia, Development Organisations and other institutions to advance our mission of promoting diversity of thought amongst our workforce.
Industry-leading people-first policy
Zinclusion is an organisation-wide initiative to embrace diversity in all forms, including the LGBTQ+, differently abled individuals, and people from different geographies and ethnicities. Our goal is to create a safe and welcoming workplace for all employees to be themselves, and ensure equal opportunities for advancement regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Through Zinclusion, Hindustan Zinc strives to build a high-performing and innovative culture that thrives on the collective talent of its diverse workforce.
The objective: Combating discrimination, inequality and biases by creating a fair and just workplace that upholds human rights and values
The #Zinclusion logo depicts our inclusion for infinite forms of diversity in the workplace and beyond.
Hindustan Zinc is a progressive organisation, and FY 2023-24 marked a significant advancement in our journey of inclusion. During Pride Month, we introduced an innovative Gender Reaffirmation Leave policy, offering 30 days of leave alongside financial assistance and medical coverage, supporting gender reaffirmation. Additionally, we emphasise on providing an inclusive ecosystem beyond workplace by hosting interactive sessions for employees and their families to celebrate and honour the LGBTQ+ community, providing a platform for open dialogue, and education on LGBTQ+ issues. Esteemed guest speakers, including renowned activists such as Laxmi Narayan Tripathi and Ella D’ Verma, contributed valuable insights and experiences, enriching our discussions on inclusivity and empowerment.
Pride month celebration with Ella D’ Verma
Our Parenthood & Childcare Policy emphasises inclusiveness, diversity, equity and belongingness. The policy recognises parenthood as not just a break from service but an important phase of life. It aims at providing equitable workplace support to all parents irrespective of their gender or sexual orientation through inclusive childcare. As part of this policy, we have introduced various industry leading practices in the Company. These include flexible working hours for expecting mothers, sabbatical leave with an option for flexible working hours and career assurance that protects performance ratings during maternity leave. Other key practices include adoption leave to new parents including LGBTQIA+ and single parents, maternity leave and paternity leave, medical insurance coverage and crèche facility at each location.
Policy announcement for single parents and LGBTQIA+ employees
Revolutionary parenthood policy for new mothers
Hindustan Zinc’s revolutionary diversity and inclusion initiatives have not only transformed its workplace culture but also inspired other organisations to follow suit, ultimately leading to a well-deserved recognition at the 3rd National Transgender Awards, known as “Ardhnarishwar”. The accolade exemplifies our commitment to creating a truly inclusive work environment under the umbrella of our flagship initiative #ZincIusion, focussing on combating discrimination, inequality, and biases.
Hindustan Zinc recognised at National Transgender Awards
On International Women’s Day, over 150 women in leadership roles from Vedanta’s diverse business units gathered for “Winspire”, an empowering event focussed on inspiration and growth.
Guided by Hindustan Zinc’s Chairperson, Ms. Priya Agarwal Hebbar, and joined by Mr. Arun Misra, CEO of Hindustan Zinc, the occasion celebrated the resilience and determination of women fuelling the Company’s progress. Ms. Mithali Raj, former Indian Cricket Team captain, shared her inspiring journey, encouraging attendees to break barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields.
Additionally, leaders engaged with the “Women of Valour”, India’s first all-women underground mine rescue team, further emphasising the importance of women’s roles in diverse industries. The 150 women brainstormed to ideate and engaged with the leadership sharing their growth journeys to be the next CXOs.
Also, a select group of women employees had a unique opportunity to experience the role of CXOs for a day by shadowing them. This initiative not only provided a fresh perspective but also highlighted our commitment to nurturing and promoting women leaders within our organisation.
In an industry-defining initiative, Hindustan Zinc trained India’s 1st ever all-women mine rescue team, dedicated to ensuring utmost safety maintenance in mining operations. This one- of-its-kind initiative aligns with our sustainable development goal of zero harm in operations. The rescue team, comprising seven women officers, received base training at Rajpura Dariba Complex’s RRRT centre followed by a 14-day specialised training at Mine Rescue Station, Nagpur. The team went through preliminary tests, requiring members to compete in basic surface/ underground mine emergencies. Key areas covered in the training encompassed techniques to deal with emergency scenarios, administering first aid, technician test, theory exam, self- rescuers, fire types and its extinguishing methods, mine gases and emergency response, etc.
International Women’s Day post on the all-women underground mine rescue team
We prioritise diversity and merit-based selection processes in our hiring practices, firmly establishing ourselves as an equal-opportunity employer. Through concerted efforts, we continually set new standards, driving positive change and innovation in the mining industry. Striding ahead on this journey, we have amplified focus on recruiting from diverse talent pools, particularly among campus hires, aiming to maintain a 50% ratio of women leaders. Empanelment of all-women colleges has been a key step towards this.
Our recruitment strategies foster equity and inclusion in the true sense, where we onboard talent from diverse backgrounds, such as ex-veterans and expats, and also ensure diversity across all regions, communities, and cultures. We place these talents in front-end roles across various functions, ensuring their meaningful participation and contribution to organisational success.
Hindustan Zinc has made significant progress in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the last five years. From 12% in 2019, our gender diversity has increased to 22% in FY 2023-24, with 16 employees in the LGBTQ+ category and 21% women in Executive Committee. Continuing our DEI journey, we are now aiming and progressing towards a futuristic vision in alignment with our ESG goals to reach 30% gender diversity by 2030.
Winspire, an event where 150 women leaders discuss inclusion, leadership and breaking stereotypes
Leaders Unplugged is a pioneering initiative inviting industry leaders and change-makers from across the nation for organisation-wide sessions, brimming with thought-provoking insights, personal anecdotes, invaluable expertise, and visionary leadership. This initiative serves as a platform for showcasing life journeys, experiences, and success stories, providing invaluable inspiration for all involved.
These events catalyse inspiration and growth, offering employees an exceptional opportunity to interact with the industry stalwarts. Site visits by the Group’s esteemed Vice Chairman, Hindustan Zinc’s Chairperson, CEO and EXCO have further enriched this initiative, amplifying its impact as a dynamic forum for ideation, dialogue, addressing concerns and talent recognition. It further serves as a transparent platform, providing a conducive environment for nurturing and motivating emerging talent, thereby fostering a culture of collaboration and shared success within our organisation.
We have introduced an innovative learning approach with the launch of the ‘Yuva-Guru: Reverse Mentoring initiative’, a platform that facilitates a dynamic exchange of knowledge and insights between different generations.
The programme is tailored to focus on key themes such as ‘digital trends of today’, ‘wellbeing for today’s workforce’, and ‘being a social media inspirational leader’. Through this initiative, we aim to empower senior leaders with the latest trends while fostering a two-way conversation that allows younger employees to better understand leadership roles. In Phase 1, we have institutionalised reverse mentoring as a concept for our Executive Committee members and other key leaders as senior mentees, who were paired with vibrant and energetic Gen Z junior mentors, who have joined us within last 3 years.
This initiative not only enhances their capabilities but also sparks fresh ideas, promoting unconventional approaches towards creating a progressive and inclusive organisation.
Employee growth and development are a priority at Hindustan Zinc, especially the focus on building leaders for tomorrow who can steer the Company to newer heights. We achieve this through comprehensive talent management interventions, aimed at enhancing safety, technical and business excellence besides behavioural and leadership skills.
Our leadership efforts are designed to promote young talent internally by identifying ‘stars’, investing in their development early on and providing them with growth platforms. Various interventions have been deployed towards this including the Chairman Workshop, V-Desire, V-Campus, V-Build and CEO Connect, among others, catering to different target groups. Through this, we create an empowering environment, enabling them to unlock their potential alongside opportunities to showcase their potential and talent to lead in various business positions and cross-functional roles.
With the objective of having a strong leadership pipeline, the organisation has a robust succession planning programme to identify the second line for each key/critical role. High potential incumbents are identified through rigorous process and provided anchorage by experienced leadership of the organisation before they take up elevated role in any of the business locations. The successor is identified on a 3-level scale of ‘Ready Now’, ‘Ready in 6-12 months’ or ‘Ready in 12-18 months’.
For individual contributors and entry-level employees, we deploy various learning interventions to enhance their technical and safety skills, drive process excellence, gain business insights and increase quality consciousness. We also focus on improving their communication skills, resilience, responsible behaviour and result orientation, besides practicing teamwork and collaboration. The Company provides them with various opportunities and training through online and offline modules for self- development.
We have established central and site-level TRCs aimed at people development, building an ownership mindset and improving talent churn. This is achieved through identifying structured learning journeys and career paths for the talent pool, which the Councils review quarterly. The TRC is chaired by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), IBU CEOs and respective Management Committee (ManCom) members. It covers all high-potential leaders, critical position holders and key women leaders within the organisation.
We have successfully identified 200+ leaders and 100 qualified, high-potential and hard-working women across Hindustan Zinc. Their professional journey will be closely anchored and monitored by the CEO through the TRC and initiatives like V-Build, Leaders unplugged, Zinclusion, Emerging leaders, etc.
Additionally, we have introduced a 360-degree feedback survey this year, which captures the feedback from managers, stakeholders, and colleagues, including friends and family for a holistic understanding of the developmental areas.
Our ‘Emerging Leaders’ forum serves as a platform for closed group discussions with the senior leadership during the year. The primary aim of these discussions is to identify emerging leaders having the potential to become future leaders of the organisation. These leaders are offered the opportunity to assume deputy roles for critical positions, allowing them to widen their perspectives and contribute to a stronger leadership bench. Anchored by the CEO and other EXCO members, the initiative forms an integral part of our overall development programme.
ACT-UP is a flagship programme aimed at identifying and skilling talent to build a pool of effective leaders who will drive future growth. This is ensured by encouraging talent to realise their potential, build competencies and provide them with opportunities for professional and organisational growth.
The programme involves rigorously assessing shortlisted talent in partnership with leading consulting firms like Korn Ferry etc., instrumenting evaluation of their potential on the Group’s technical and behavioural competency framework. This helps identify fast trackers and high potential (HiPo) executives including ‘Stars of Business’, and ‘Technical Stars’. We further integrate advanced technologies to enhance talent assessment and identification processes. These individuals are acknowledged, entrusted with expanded responsibilities, and they need to undergo structured development through personalised Individual Development Plans (IDPs) and continuous mentorship from assigned anchors.
We are committed to nurturing the internal talent pool for future leadership roles. To realise this vision, employees must gain exposure and hands-on experience across diverse functions and roles throughout the organisation. Our job rotation and Internal Job Posting (IJP) policies are key enablers of this. Through these initiatives, we provide employees with diverse learning opportunities to engage in diverse business functions, locations, and with various stakeholders. Additionally, they are guided through different aspects of business operations. Our philosophy of rotation encourages movement across 3 businesses, 3 locations and 3 roles in the career span of an employee.
Work Integrated Learning Programmes (WILPs) is one of the flagship programmes at Hindustan Zinc, providing our working professionals an opportunity to pursue higher degrees while they work. Towards this, we have partnered with premium institutes like IIM Udaipur and BITS Pilani to offer professional degree courses designed with a focus on facilitating industry practices. This not only helps enhance the skills of our people but ensures their future readiness.
Our leaders and first-time managers enrol in the CII Leadership programme, and various other coaching and management development programmes with premier institutes like ISB, ISM, IIM Ahmedabad, and NIT Rourkela, for their holistic development. The Company also provides a coaching programme for the leaders, where they are assigned external coaches for the overall development of their leadership traits.
In our industry, the implementation of tailored training programmes holds paramount importance for the seamless operation of our business. Leveraging our internal talent, which comprises subject matter experts (SMEs) adept at navigating the intricacies of our field, we effectively mentor and guide emerging leaders and newcomers to the industry. With a focus on cultivating and disseminating specialised skills pertinent to the mining sector, we are committed to ensuring the continuous growth and proficiency of our workforce.
In the same lines, we unveiled "Dronas - HZL Trainers Community" in FY 2023-24. This initiative acknowledges the invaluable contributions of trainers who tirelessly enhance the skills and knowledge of their colleagues. We proudly recognised 100 exceptional Dronas this year who have dedicated a remarkable 5 person-days or more towards structured training within the organisation with the objective of:
Their invaluable contributions have not only elevated the skills and knowledge of their peers but have also served as a profound source of inspiration to all of us.
We are committed to achieving our organisation’s bigger purpose in alignment with our focussed vision and mission. We always endeavour to create a dynamic workplace, based on the highest standards of ethics and conduct in line with the Group's core values.
In FY 2023-24, we entrusted a significant responsibility to our leaders, as Ambassadors and Champions of the Core Group Values. Their role will be pivotal in reinforcing this commitment, amplifying our dedication to continued excellence, innovation and sustainability in our quest to be the most preferred and admired employer brand.
As people are the driving force propelling our growth, their commitment to aligning with the organisation's values will reinforce our culture of integrity, and contribute to the attainment of our strategic objectives.
Expanding our digital footprint in the mining industry embodies our core philosophy of delivering smart outcomes. As part of this, we launched the in-house developed 'HZL Mine to Metal’ e-modules, leveraging technology to promote digital learning through the MPower learning portal of Darwin Box.
We have also launched three digital learning initiatives targeting 20 digital learning hours per individual per annum. These initiatives, namely ‘UDAAN’, ‘Leadership +’ and LAP (Leadership at the Peak) cater to senior leaders and mid-managerial levels. They serve as a structured personal development programme (PDP) on digital learning platform- ‘Learning Campus’, designed to enhance managerial and analytical skills.
These initiatives are part of a series of programmes on ‘Learning Campus’ to build a smart, future-ready learning organisation. We aim to cultivate a conducive learning environment, where speed (content at your doorstep), flexibility (available 24x7) and convenience (any device approach) are ensured for optimal learning experiences.
A 30-minute mandatory digital learning module focussing on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) was introduced, acknowledging its essential role in cultivating a workplace culture where every voice is valued, every perspective matters and every individual is allowed to thrive.
In FY 2023-24, Hindustan Zinc achieved an outstanding milestone in digital learning, totalling 16,000 hours, which is the highest ever. This reflects the dedication of our employees to embrace digital learning opportunities and the effectiveness of these methodologies in enabling continuous improvement and professional development.
Ambavgarh Dialogue in #ZincCity, where our technical and business leaders exchanged insightful ideas with CEO Arun Misra and ExCo members
We are committed to a performance-driven culture. Building on this journey, we made significant advancements in aligning individual efforts with our overall vision during FY 2023-24.
To ensure the effective cascading of impactful key performance indicators (KPIs) throughout the organisation, we conducted a series of "Quality KPI Workshops" for managers. Titled "Re-crafting KPIs for Excellence" and aligned with our "One Team - One Goal" philosophy, these workshops equipped leadership with the tools to re-assess team KPIs through the lens of ESG, core roles, enablers, self-development, and value-added projects. This comprehensive approach not only fostered collaboration but also team building.
Over 200 plus managers across the organisation were empowered through a “Constructive Feedback Workshop” on giving constructive feedback to their direct reports, as a critical step towards optimising both individual and collective performance to ensure quality & continuous feedback for individual’s growth.
We strive to create a work environment that prioritises employee well-being and encourages entrepreneurship. Trust and a sense of purpose form the foundation of this culture, helping drive both productivity and profits and propelling the interests of both the Company and its shareholders.
Our remuneration philosophy promotes a ‘Pay for Performance’ culture, aligning rewards with business priorities and enabling holistic employee value proposition capturing the purpose with which our employees are aligned. All reward schemes are perfectly aligned with this culture. Our executive compensation emphasises operational/financial fundamentals, social responsibility and business sustainability, aiming to create wealth for all our stakeholders.
Recognising the importance of differentiated rewards and growth, we champion talent development through various initiatives. High-potential employees benefit from enrolment in fast-track programmes, alongside being incentivised with market-competitive monetary and non-monetary rewards for exceptional performance. Additionally, stock options and long-term incentive schemes are offered to identified talent, fostering a long-term commitment to the Company's success. Our differentiated rewarding efforts underscore our belief in recognising and nurturing exceptional talent, ensuring a pipeline of future leaders who will drive our continued growth.
At Hindustan Zinc, a performance-driven culture is key to our ability to continually set newer benchmarks in operational excellence and industry-leading growth. We accomplish this through an emphasis on business planning and defining key performance indicators (KPIs) alongside continually monitoring the progress through our robust performance measurement mechanism.
All our Executives including CEO and Executive Committee members’ performance-based compensation is determined through a combination of the Company’s operational and financial results besides non-financial indicators such as leadership, progress on strategic goals, and contribution to sustainability performance. Inclusion of ESG including climate related issues, risk and compliance metrics as mandatory goals for all employees including CEO and embedded in the reward schemes, focussed on achieving ‘Zero Harm, Zero Waste, Zero Discharge’. Sustainability KPIs like climate-related issues, carbon footprint, risk management form an integral performance parameter aligned with our Sustainability Goals 2030.
EWAP is designed to promote employee well-being through early identification and resolution of mental stressors in their personal and professional lives. Dedicated to fostering employee well-being and mindfulness, Hindustan Zinc partnered with mental wellness professionals and trained psychologists to offer 24x7 confidential counselling services to employees and three dependents along with support for diet and nutrition, legal and financial matters. Monthly webinars are also conducted on varied topics. In FY 2023-24, 36 such webinars were conducted by experts, helping employees gain valuable insights on wellbeing. Additionally, a week-long drive of on-site wellbeing sessions was organised across locations, engaging 500+ participants.
We also hosted on-site sessions for the #ZincParivar community across units. These sessions included a range of activities, such as group discussions on achieving work-life balance, movement therapy, stress management techniques, education on various types of stress, and insights into the Employee Well-being & Assistance Programme (EWAP) services available for our Zinc Parivar. The primary goal of these sessions was to highlight the importance of mental and physical well-being and to encourage individuals to prioritise self-care. We urged everyone to actively engage in the sessions and to make use of the app for themselves and their loved ones.
Across the Company, we have well-equipped sports facilities in our premises. Mega tournaments such as Dariba Premier League, Agucha Football Tournament, Chanderiya Badminton & Table Tennis Championship, Debari Volleyball Championship, etc., are also part of our engagement activities. There are clubs at every township location which also have gyms, courts, garden areas, indoor and outdoor sports facilities available for the employees and their families.
We have automated the procedure for capturing and redressal of grievances. An online query management system is used by employees to raise queries.
Queries/ Grievances Raised
Queries/ Grievances Resolved/Closed
(During FY 2023-24)
We have a workers’ union across each location affiliated with the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) and recognised by management. At the corporate level, we have the Hindustan Zinc Workers’ Federation (HZWF), constituted on October 23, 1982, and subsequently recognised by the Company vide letter dated November 27, 1982. Comprising core members from recognised unions across locations, HZWF is the sole negotiating agent for workers at the apex level. HZWF operates under the dictum that ‘If the Company grows, our growth will be taken care of’.
The Federation/unions discuss various workmen matters including service conditions, wages and benefits and policies at both the unit and corporate levels. These discussions aim to resolve matters through dialogue and mutual consideration. All executive members of the Federation, either current or former company employees, represent the recognised unions in their respective units. They collaborate with management to decide strategies for dealing with employee issues.
We have multiple bipartite forums across locations, like Joint Consultation Committee, Welfare Committee, House Allotment Committee, Safety Committee, Canteen Committee and Transport Committee. These committees, having equal representation from the management and the union, handle all matters of workmen.
In an era defined by rapid technological advancements, Hindustan Zinc has embraced the imperative of HR digital transformation with unwavering resolve. As a cornerstone of our organisational strategy, the integration of digital solutions within the HR landscape has not only revolutionised processes but has also redefined the very fabric of employee engagement and organisational efficiency.
Digital transformation is all about learning new practices, unlearning old practices and going through a transition journey together. At Hindustan Zinc, we launched a unified HR Management System (HRMS) platform to streamline endto-end HR processes across all our group companies. With its easy-to-use mobile-first interface, we aim to enhance the agility, efficiency, effectiveness, and connectivity of our HR function.
The platform will help bridge the gaps in employee experience, ensuring a more seamless HR interaction. Moreover, it will contribute to our vision by establishing a robust employee data infrastructure and utilising analytics to make informed people decisions. We are also excited about the business partner module, which will nurture strong business partnerships.
In our commitment to comprehensive HR digitalisation, we have adopted a holistic approach toward transforming every facet of the HR ecosystem. From talent acquisition to employee life cycle management, learning and development to rewards and recognition, attendance management to statutory and workforce compliances, every aspect has been digitised and optimised for efficiency. This not only streamlines operations but also fosters organisation-wide culture of innovation and collaboration.
Key measures undertaken towards ensuring the success of our digital transformation journey include:
Our HR digital transformation journey epitomises synergy between technological innovation and strategic vision. By aligning digital initiatives with business objectives, adopting a comprehensive approach, and prioritising user experience and data-driven decision-making, we have elevated the role of HR as a strategic function in driving organisational success. As we continue to pioneer innovation and excellence, our HR digitalisation efforts will help shape the future of work and support sustainable growth.
Respecting the fundamental rights of people is central to our business ethos. We ensure this with our human rights policy, aligned with the United Nation’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. We strictly pursue this policy, helping prohibit forced labour, including our operations and our supply chain.
Additionally, we have integrated a mandate into our business ethics and corporate Code of Conduct. This helps protect the fundamental rights of all direct and indirect employees, business relationships, supply chain partners, and communities directly or indirectly affected by us. This mandate explicitly communicates our expectations to business partners relating to compliance with relevant legislation and our policies in all operations for or on behalf of Hindustan Zinc.
As per the Company’s Human Rights Policy, Hindustan Zinc is committed towards all employees and contractor workforce and ensures that they are fairly and equitably paid. The remuneration structure is compliant with statutory obligations of the jurisdiction in which we operate.
We recognise the human rights risks with all aspects of our business and operations, including dealing with suppliers, service providers, clients and other stakeholders. We are committed to implementing programmes that address and protect the unique industry-specific human rights exposure as evident in the following actions:
Our people philosophy is aligned with the Group’s policies, valuing workforce diversity. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities and fostering an inclusive and trust-driven work culture where all employees feel supported and are treated with respect, care, fairness and sensitivity. In our strive for equal employment opportunity, we uphold a policy of non-discrimination based on age, colour, disability, marital status, nationality, geography, ethnicity, religion, sex or sexual orientation. This ensures a harassment and bullying-free environment. This also helps achieve our priority of workforce diversity through a representation of all sections of society, empowering us to deliver better business outcomes.
We are aligned with disclosure obligations under the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015, and ensure that neither our business nor our supply chain engage in any form of modern-day slavery. Stringent monitoring of all functions has ensured that none of our contractors, suppliers and business partners employ child, forced or trafficked labour.
We respect our employees’ rights to freedom of association, collective bargaining, and to freely join a trade union. We ensure all collective bargaining agreements are negotiated and agreed upon by the management and union representatives. These agreements include clauses relating to remuneration, allowances, working conditions, incentives and bonuses, including provisions for health and safety, manpower productivity, etc.
Addressing environmental concerns is a priority at Hindustan Zinc. We adopt a precautionary stance by proactively identifying any soil and water contamination across our sites, undertaking responsible waste management, assessing environmental impact and implementing remedies. We further conduct systematic risk assessments of materials used and products and processes deployed.
We are committed to ensuring that our human rights policy and the importance of upholding it are understood by all our personnel and external stakeholders. We ensure this through organisation-wide open communication and regular updates. Greater effectiveness is ensured using appropriate communication techniques in the local language, including in-person meetings, emails, newsletters and other forms. Our robust mechanism ensures immediate notification of any changes or updates to the policy or procedures to ensure compliance.
We use the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) human rights self-assessment tool to identify human rights risks and analyse and update salient human rights. Any concerns identified during this due diligence process are promptly addressed through corrective and preventive action planning.
Also, in 2022, a Human Rights Due Diligence assessment was carried out by a 3rd party, across all the Hindustan Zinc units, for our employees, female workers, contract labour and local communities. The assessment report highlights the compliance of the Company in terms of ascertained human rights, and validates that no case of violation was observed.
All our personnel are expected to adhere to all applicable human rights laws and regulations as well as the principles outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This includes the right to life, liberty, and security of a person, freedom of thought and expression, and freedom from discrimination. They are expected to advocate for and respect each other’s rights, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, or disability. We maintain zero tolerance for any form of harassment, abuse or discrimination, with appropriate actions for any breaches.
