BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT: STRIVING FOR ECOLOGICAL EQUILIBRIUM
Goals 2025
- Protect and enhance biodiversity throughout the life cycle
- 1 million plantation drive by 2025
Performance
- Additional plantation of 0.74 million in last 5 years
- Biodiversity Management Plans to achieve no net loss across sites
We champion biodiversity protection and enhancement throughout the lifecycle, working closely with various organisations to mitigate the negative operational impacts.
KEY PILLARS OF BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT
- Comprehensive framework of biodiversity policy, biodiversity management plans (BMPs), and rigorous standards to prevent/reduce and compensate for biodiversity impacts at every stage of our operations, from project scoping to site closure and beyond
- Application of mitigation hierarchy to achieve no net loss of biodiversity (versus FY2020 baseline) at all mine sites by closure
- Multi-pronged strategy including biodiversity risk assessment, afforestation programme, restoration of exhausted waste dumps, conservation of schedule-1 fauna species, awareness initiatives, and partnerships
- Cultivation of native ecosystem through plantation of indigenous species and removal of invasive species for ecological balance
IUCN COLLABORATION FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
We are actively progressing on our ambitious 3-year collaborative agenda to revisit our BMP and cruise towards our commitment of no net loss. This is being undertaken in engagement with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and involves:
- Re-developing biodiversity policy/technical standards and guidance note in alignment with global standards to achieve the immediate goal of no net loss
- Reviewing current BMPs and practices to curate site-specific biodiversity and ecosystem services management protocols, incorporating global best practices
- Developing an annual action plan linked with BMP and biodiversity policy, supporting their implementation
- Investing in training and capability building for employees in biodiversity and ecosystem services management
BMP for our Rajasthan Units
In response to the review conducted by IUCN to identify business risks and opportunities arising from ecosystem change, we are making significant progress to assess the impact and dependency of our direct operations on ecosystems. This includes developing detailed BMPs for all our Rajasthan-based units.
TNFD ALIGNMENT FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
We actively participate in the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). Embracing this framework, we ensure transparent reporting on risk management and disclosures, integrating nature-related risks and opportunities into our financial and business decisions.
Collaboration with TERI to create a green legacy from the wasteyard
Hindustan Zinc has initiated phase II of revitalising 16 hectares of wasteland at Chanderiya Lead-Zinc Smelter into a vibrant greenbelt. This innovative transformation employs Mycorrhiza technology in collaboration with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), fostering a symbiotic relationship between plants and fungi that enables vegetation to thrive in challenging conditions. This stabilises dump slopes, combats erosion, and boosts carbon sequestration.
Highlights from the phase I
- 6.25 hectares successfully restored with 11,000 native species, creating a high-density green cover
