Sustainability Report 2009
Chairman’s Statement:
ITC’s Vision and Strategy
ITC:
Organisational Profile
Certifications, Honours & Awards Report
Parameters
Governance, Commitments
& Engagements
ITC’s Triple Bottom Line GRI Index Annexures Statement from
Ernst & Young
Self-declaration on Application Level
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ANNEXURES
ITC’s EHS Policy  

ITC’s mission is to sustain and enhance the wealth-generating capacity of its portfolio of businesses in a progressively globalising environment. As one of India’s premier corporations employing a vast quantum of societal resources, ITC seeks to fulfil a larger role by enlarging its contribution to the society of which it is a part. The trusteeship role related to social and environmental resources, aligned to the pursuit of economic objectives, is the cornerstone of ITC’s Environment, Health and Safety philosophy. ITC’s EHS philosophy cognises for the twin needs of conservation and creation of productive resources.

In the multi-business context of ITC, Corporate Strategies are designed to create enduring value for the nation and the shareholder, through leadership in each business and the attainment of world-class competitive capabilities across the value chain. The objective of leadership extends to all facets of business operations including Environment, Health and Safety.

ITC is, therefore, committed to conducting its operations with due regard for the environment, and providing a safe and healthy workplace for each employee. Various international and national awards and accreditations stand testimony to ITC’s commitment to EHS. Such external recognition further reinforces the need to direct the collective endeavour of the Company’s employees at all levels towards sustaining and continuously improving standards of Environment, Health and Safety in a bid to attain and exceed benchmarked standards, whether regulatory or otherwise.

In particular, it is ITC’s EHS policy -

  • To contribute to sustainable development through the establishment and implementation of environment standards that are scientifically tested and meet the requirement of relevant laws, regulations and codes of practice.

  • To take account of environment, occupational health and safety in planning and decision-making.

  • To provide appropriate training and disseminate information to enable all employees to accept individual responsibility for Environment, Health and Safety, implement best practices, and work in partnership to create a culture of continuous improvement.

  • To instil a sense of duty in every employee towards personal safety, as well as that of others who may be affected by the employee’s actions.

  • To provide and maintain facilities, equipment, operations and working conditions which are safe for employees, visitors and contractors at the Company’s premises.

  • To ensure safe handling, storage, use and disposal of all substances and materials that are classified as hazardous to health and environment.

  • To reduce waste, conserve energy, and promote recycling of materials wherever possible.

  • To institute and implement a system of regular EHS audit in order to assure compliance with laid down policy, benchmarked standards, and requirements of laws, regulations and applicable codes of practice.

  • To proactively share information with business partners towards inculcating world-class EHS standards across the value chain of which ITC is a part.

All employees of ITC are expected to adhere to and comply with the EHS Policy and Corporate Standards on EHS.

ITC’s EHS Policy extends to all sites of the Company. It will be the overall responsibility of the Divisional/SBU Chief Executives, through the members of their Divisional Management Committees, General Managers and Unit Heads, to ensure implementation of this Policy and Corporate Standards on EHS, including formation of various committees and designating individuals for specific responsibilities in respect of their Division/SBU.

The Corporate EHS Department is responsible for reviewing and updating Corporate Standards on EHS, and for providing guidance and support to all concerned.

 

Consultation and Notice for Significant Changes  

Policy - All major changes in operations, involving work processes, manning norms and other productivity linked issues are implemented after discussions with the employees and the recognised unions at each location.

Implementation - Business plans are shared with employees at all units through a series of communication meetings, and through the intranet portals. Unionised employees at the concerned units are informed of all major changes well in advance through their representatives.

The responsibility for the implementation of the policy rests with the unit’s Human Resources Department in the case of unionised employees and with the concerned Divisional Management Committees for other employees.

The employees are given enough time to consider the implications of change and an opportunity to discuss their apprehensions, if any, with the management. The Policy is actualised through consultative meetings with representatives of employees, culminating in joint minutes/agreements.

Monitoring & Auditing - Compliance with the Policy is regularly monitored by the Unit Head.

 

Policy on HIV/AIDS  

Policy - The Company’s policy on HIV/AIDS with regard to its employees will, at a minimum, comply with all relevant Central and State legislations and the Company will implement all policies and directives of the Government regarding HIV/AIDS whenever issued.

The Company will provide to all its employees sensitive, accurate and the latest information about risk reduction strategies in their personal lives, with the objective of reducing the stigma of HIV/AIDS, encouraging safe behaviour and improving understanding of treatment. The Company is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace to all its employees. It is the Company’s objective that employees will have access to health services to prevent and manage HIV/AIDS.

The Company will not discriminate against any employee infected by HIV/AIDS with regard to promotions, training and other privileges and benefits as applicable to all employees. All HIV positive employees will be allowed to continue to work in their jobs unless (a)medical conditions interfere with the specific job being done, in which case reasonable alternative working arrangements will be made; or (b) the employee is incapacitated to perform his/her duties and is declared medically unfit by a medical doctor, in which case the employee will be assisted to rehabilitate himself/herself outside the Company.

The Company will not make pre-employment HIV/AIDS screening mandatory as part of its fitness-to-work assessment. Screening of this kind refers to direct methods (HIV testing), indirect methods (assessment of risk behaviour), and questions about HIV tests already taken. HIV/AIDS test will not be part of the annual health check-up unless specifically requested for by an employee.

Voluntary testing for HIV/AIDS, when requested for by the employee, will be carried out by private or community health services and not at the workplace. There will be no obligation on the part of the employees to inform the Company about their clinical status in relation to HIV/AIDS. Information on clinical diagnosis of an employees’ status in terms of his/her HIV/AIDS status, if advised to the Company, will be kept strictly confidential.

Implementation - This policy is publicly available throughout the Company and clearly communicated to all employees in a manner in which it can be understood through induction programmes, policy manuals and intranet portals.

The responsibility for the implementation of the policy rests with the Unit Human Resources Departments. A report is provided to the Divisional Head on such programmes.

Monitoring & Auditing - Compliance with the Policy is regularly monitored by the Unit Head.

 
«»
Chairman’s Statement:
ITC’s Vision and Strategy
ITC:
Organisational Profile
Certifications, Honours & Awards Report
Parameters
Governance, Commitments
& Engagements
ITC’s Triple Bottom Line GRI Index Annexures Statement from
Ernst & Young
Self-declaration on Application Level
  
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