PURPOSE-DRIVEN MINING

Focus areas

• Emphasising purpose-driven operations
• Focussing on gaining trust and delivering long-term value
• Leadership commitment for sustainable initiatives
• Contributing to economic growth
• Playing a fundamental role in social development

Vedanta response

• Operations focussed on enriching lives and creating a sustainable legacy
• Impacting over 6.8 million lives annually through childcare, nutrition, women’s empowerment, healthcare, and education
• The Nand Ghar project transforming nearly 8,000 Anganwadis, with plans to reach 14 lakhs nationwide
• Pledged ₹ 5,000 crore over the next five years to empower 2.5 million families annually
• Aiming to uplift over 100 million women and children with essential skills training

BUILDING RESILIENT CRITICAL MINERAL SUPPLY CHAINS

Focus areas

• Building resilient supply chains for critical minerals amid the global clean energy transition
• Critical mineral supply emerging as a decisive factor for clean energy infrastructure
• Ecosystem investments led by manufacturers, extractors, and processors
• Secure and reliable feedstock supply becoming increasingly significant
• Global supply chains disrupted by geopolitical uncertainty, technology transfers, and resource nationalism
• Countries including India have notified critical mineral lists of strategic economic importance

Vedanta response

• Operating across 15+ commodities, with presence in 9 critical to the global energy transition
• Committed to developing the critical mineral ecosystem in India and globally
• Expanding organically across Aluminium, Zinc, Silver, Nickel, and Copper through a portfolio of long-life assets
• Actively evaluating opportunities to secure and integrate critical mineral value chains
• Secured 4 critical mineral blocks auctioned as Composite Licences by the Ministry of Mines in FY 2024-25
• Hindustan Zinc secured an additional 3 critical mineral blocks

FOSTERING NATURAL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Focus areas

• Swift implementation of comprehensive ESG strategies is key
• Pioneering sustainability practices can drive meaningful impact
• Collaboration across the value chain supports climate change mitigation
• Focussed efforts enable a credible and responsible transition

Vedanta response

• Committed to achieving net zero carbon by 2050 with a planned US$ 5 billion investment over the next decade (baseline FY 2021-22)
• Deploying ~1,906 MW of renewable energy, targeting 2.5 GW round-the-clock RE by 2030 to become the world’s largest RE consumer
• Pioneering sustainable logistics through battery-operated EVs in underground mining
• Five businesses have achieved water positivity, reinforcing commitment to resource preservation
• Planted 2.9 million trees across India as part of a pledge to plant 7 million trees under the World Economic Forum initiative
• Hindustan Zinc and Vedanta Aluminium ranked 1^st and 2^nd respectively in S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment among peers
• Investing in innovative technologies to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency
• Comprehensive and proactive approach to physical and transition climate risks, integrated into business strategy
• Driving climate leadership through strong governance, ambitious targets, RE investments, and stakeholder engagement

REIMAGINING MINERAL EXPLORATION WITH AI

Focus areas

• Enhancing exploration investments to meet growing metal demand
• Strengthening collaboration between policymakers, agencies, and private miners to address declining discovery rates
• Improving availability and quality of geological mapping data for better resource evaluation
• Adopting AI- and ML-driven methodologies for advanced, data-backed exploration
• Building a robust exploration ecosystem to enable sustainable and equitable mineral development

Vedanta response

• Early adopter of emerging technology and innovation in the mining sector
• Exploration is a core part of the value chain, with AI-ML applications piloted across both greenfield and brownfield projects
• Utilising a wealth of high-quality legacy training datasets and technical expertise to enhance AI-ML algorithm precision
• Collaborating with niche AI-ML solution providers for sustained performance improvement
• Hindmetal Exploration Services Limited, Vedanta’s flagship exploration arm, is a Category A agency accredited by QCI-NABET
• Committed to supporting India’s energy transition and critical mineral security by developing world-class mineral assets

DRIVING DIGITALLY INTEGRATED OPERATIONS

Focus areas

• Revolutionising decision-making with operational technologies and analytical tools in mining, smelting, and power plant operations
• Enabling digital replication of assets for enhanced visualisation and strategic simulation
• Optimising investment and process decisions through advanced technologies
• Leveraging accessible simulation software to maximise value from existing assets

Vedanta response

• Integrating advanced technologies to enhance asset value and operational efficiency
• Utilising drone-based surveillance technology in both open-cast and underground mining operations
• Implementing Digital Twin technology to create virtual models of critical assets for simulation and operational optimisation
• Deploying Advanced Process Control (APC) to fine-tune production processes using real-time data and analytics
• Enhancing operational processes with a focus on the highest safety standards
• Collaborating with multinationals and Indian startups to source cutting-edge digital solutions in areas like:
  • Worker wearable technology
  • Traffic management
  • Equipment health monitoring
  • Operator training
  • Safety supervision

SCALING A GROWTH-FOCUSSED ASSET PORTFOLIO

Focus areas

• Companies are reevaluating investment strategies to ensure sustainable growth and quick access to essential minerals and metals
• Exploring non-traditional avenues such as joint ventures (JVs) and strategic alliances to secure vital resources
• Adopting innovative thinking in investment structures, engaging capital providers, governments, and OEMs to accelerate production capacity launches
• Facilitating the rapid integration of critical metal supplies into the market through collaborative partnerships

Vedanta response

• Ensuring timely access to essential minerals and metals
• Innovating investment strategies with a focus on JVs and strategic alliances to secure resources for a sustainable future
• Utilising creative investment structures and engaging a diverse range of stakeholders, including technology providers, governments, OEMs, academia, and research institutions
• Expanding the resource base and accelerating the integration of critical supplies into the market through innovative partnerships

CONTINUOUS UPSKILLING FOR A RESOURCEFUL WORKFORCE

Focus areas

• Adopting a skills-based approach to address evolving work methods and an ageing workforce
• Focussing on enhancing worker capabilities rather than specific roles to improve agility and flexibility
• Tapping into the workforce’s full potential and driving innovation in work methods
• Collaborating with universities to align education with industry needs and bridge skills gaps

Vedanta response

• Adopting a skills-based workforce approach to enhance flexibility and maximise potential
• Building internal talent through robust programmes and strategic educational partnerships for an industry-ready workforce
• Inducting 1,500-2,000 freshers annually from top universities to maintain a youthful workforce, with an average age of 33 years
• Developing a pipeline of 3,000 young and dynamic leaders through structured talent management programmes
• Fostering a performance-driven culture through talent-based recognition
• Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion with industry-leading policies for women, parenthood, and transgenders
• Achieving 100+ external recognitions, including W.E Global Employees’ Choice Award and “Great Place to Work” certification