Dalmia Bharat Ltd, one of the biggest cement manufacturers in the country, has been conferred with the CII-ITC Sustainability Award 2022, it was revealed today.
The award was for ‘excellence in corporate social responsibility’, a press release stated, in recognition for the company’s “strong and intrinsic benchmarks for the welfare of communities and best sustainable practices in cement manufacturing”.
The awards are conferred by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and ITC Ltd to companies that demonstrate outstanding performance in sustainability and inclusivity in their operations and community initiatives.
Under the aegis of Dalmia Bharat Foundation (DBF), the CSR arm of the group has links with various social and livelihood schemes. The award was received by Dalmia executive Arvind Bodhankar from Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi.
Dalmia Bharat’s community initiatives focus on sustainable livelihoods, climate action and social infrastructure. Their flagship programme, Dalmia Institute of Knowledge and Skill Harnessing (DIKSHa), with its 15 centres, provides placement-linked, short-term skill training to youth and women for enhanced incomes. Till date, over 10,500 people have completed their training, earning an average monthly income of Rs 12,000.
The company also promotes livelihood promotion through farm-based and non-farm-based skilling programmes for farmers and women-led self-help groups (SHGs) at the village level. By focusing on water harvesting techniques and renewable energy solutions like solar power, Dalmia Bharat has been helping communities to become more self-sufficient, reduce their environmental impact, and improve their overall quality of life, the press release added.