Tata Chemicals has achieved another feather in its efforts on social commitments. In the certification audit conducted at Mithapur, Babrala and Haldia, the auditors expressed satisfaction on management commitment and the social accountability management system (SAMS) put in place. TCL has been certified under SA 8000:2001 standard for the Mithapur, Babrala and Haldia sites by RINA India. TCL will be one of the few global organisations to have been SA 8000 certified.
Said B Sudhakar, chief human resource officer: “The certification reaffirms the commitment of Tata Chemicals towards corporate social responsibility which is reflected in our social accountability policy. The policy articulates TCL’s way to conduct its business in a socially responsible manner and the commitment to enrich the quality of life. With this policy adoption, we also influence our partners in ensuring the well-being of their own employees and communities.”
A worldwide standard modelled after ISO standards, SA 8000 deals with ethical sourcing of goods and services and a platform for continuously improving company’s performance. The origins of SA 8000 lie in ensuring compliance to the International Labour Organization and human and child rights conventions. In petitioning for certification, applicant entities must demonstrate commitment to the standard’s nine requirements which include prohibition of child and forced labour and ensuring a workplace that is discrimination, harassment and exploitation-free.
In addition to management-worker participation and representation in review committees the SA management system includes health and safety provisions. SA 8000 stipulates freedom of association, which is practised in Tata Chemicals over years. CSR activities in Tata Chemicals are spearheaded by Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development (TCSRD), an NGO formed in the 1980s, whose aim is to undertake holistic community development. TCSRD follows a structured process through which it engages with the community around its plant sites and in consultation with the community encourages them to develop programmes that will improve self-reliance, health and hygiene.