Community
Engagement
“Giving and caring for the underprivileged, looking out for the planet and its finite resources are our responsibilities. As a leading global conglomerate, sustainability is an integral part of value creation and business practices. Our continuous endeavour is to embed the ethos of circularity, responsibly using natural resources, and working in harmony with communities. Birla Carbon embodies these Group values.”
Mrs. Rajashree Birla
Chairperson
Aditya Birla Center for Community Development and Rural Initiatives
Our Community Engagement Strategy
All our operating sites have individualized social impact programs, unique to their local needs, depending on the development priorities of the region. A region’s engagement approach includes community needs assessments, regular communication and interaction, and a collaborative development attitude towards the social programs. Our community strategy is driven by community officers in each plant across the business and is governed by plant managers.
Birla Carbon engages closely with the communities in which it operates and serves, to understand and help address the region’s priorities. Our social investment programs, developed in partnership with local community groups, are designed to support the requirements of the local people and deliver long-term socio-economic benefits to the people in the region.
Aim
We engage with local groups and associations to provide targeted programs, focusing on good health, quality education, sustainable livelihoods and community infrastructure, in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through addressing our communities’ most pressing challenges, we are helping to make local people, and Birla Carbon, more resilient.
Approach
Guided by the work of the ABG Foundation, we support the sustainable development of communities close to our plants, tailoring how we can help with their specific social issues and priorities.
4 Pillars of Community Engagement at Birla Carbon
Our community engagement activities focus on four key areas, each of which is aligned to the SDGs:
Access to healthcare
In some of the areas where we work, local and regional health infrastructure faces pressure due to population growth and a lack of resources. Birla Carbon is well positioned in these regions to have a long-term positive impact: we facilitate access to doctors and medicine, promote immunization programs and invest in medical infrastructure for the people who live near our facilities.
India
In June 2024, Birla Carbon Renukoot organized a free mega health camp at Kodri village as part of our ongoing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) health and wellness initiatives. The camp provided free medical consultations from multispecialist doctors, medical investigations, and medicines to over 500 locals and distributed nearly 400 mosquito nets to prevent malaria and dengue. In addition, a vaccination camp was held for children, following pediatricians’ recommendations. The event was well supported by Birla Carbon Renukoot’s management and medical team, who worked together to improve healthcare access and raise awareness about the importance of health and hygiene in the local community.
Egypt
In December 2024, Birla Carbon Egypt celebrated the International Day for People with Disabilities at its rehabilitation center in Amreya. The event brought together children and staff for a joyful day of gifts and sweets, recognizing the center’s ongoing support for over 500 differently abled children from 50 villages. Established in 2022, the center continues to expand its free services, including physiotherapy, to improve the lives of local families
Quality education
We believe young people are the future, and we depend on local communities as a source of talent for our business. We are targeting our efforts to support local young people in reaching their full potential. We engage with local teenagers as the leaders of tomorrow, introducing them to what our industry has to offer. In some regions, we provide financial support and internships. In others, we help build schools and provide practical training in specific areas for adults. The educational support we offer varies from region to region, as we tailor our local community engagement approach to ensure we meet local needs.
USA
In May 2024, Birla Carbon North Bend donated new desktop computers to Virgil Browne Glencoe Charter School as part of our community outreach. The team
also partnered with a local vendor to provide complimentary snow cones during the school’s end-of-year celebration, strengthening ties and introducing students to Birla Carbon and the work we do.
China
As part of Birla Carbon Jining’s CSR efforts, the employees visited Ershilipu Middle School to deliver a cybersecurity education session for students. The team donated refurbished computers to support IT learning and engaged students through interactive games that reinforced online safety. The school principal praised the initiative for enriching students’ digital skills. This initiative reflects Birla Carbon Jining’s dedication to community well-being and the values of the Aditya Birla Group, fostering stronger ties and promoting digital literacy among local youth.
Sustainable livelihood
We depend on thriving local communities to support our workforce and our supply chain. Rural societies in particular can suffer from a lack of resources and assistance; empowering these people to take ownership of their own advancement is key to our engagement activities.
Brazil
In December 2024, employees from Birla Carbon Brazil came together to support children and the elderly in their local communities. Through the collective efforts
of volunteers across three locations, they organized the collection and donation of toys, hygiene products, milk, and other essential items for two non-governmental organizations: the Pequeno Luca Institute and the Ceza. The initiative benefited 80 children during the Christmas celebrations.
Canada
In December 2024, Birla Carbon Canada (Hamilton) continued their commitment to community support by organizing a holiday food drive and presenting CAD $1,000 to the Hamilton Food Bank. With food insecurity affecting thousands in the region, the Hamilton team collected over 120 pounds (over 50 kgs) of food and hygiene products, along with additional cash donations that enabled Food Share Hamilton to purchase even more nutritious food for local families in need. Beyond these efforts, the team is expanding its outreach by supporting a local elementary school with healthy meals and organizing a clothing drive to provide formalwear for students attending their high school graduation celebrations.
Community infrastructure
Many of the communities where we operate are severely underequipped in terms of basic infrastructure such as buildings, roads and public facilities. We believe that we have a responsibility to partner with local people to provide practical and sustainable infrastructure solutions. We believe that access to basic infrastructure is a non-negotiable right for everyone, and some of those nearest to us need practical support to achieve it. We identify opportunities to improve local buildings and infrastructure through our ongoing engagement with local people, focusing on the most critical requirements.
Italy
In October 2024, Birla Carbon Italy supported the Collodi Nursery School in Trecate by donating outdoor tables and benches to enhance the school’s play area. During the inauguration, students performed songs, including a heart-warming performance by an autistic student, highlighting the school’s commitment to inclusion and diversity. Birla Carbon Italy also received recognition for their ongoing support of the ASD San Giuseppe association, providing sports equipment and launching a mini-basketball project, as well as for donations to Liceo Scientifico Antonelli in Novara to support scholarships for students in need.
USA
In July 2024, employees of Birla Carbon Marietta, Georgia came together to support the Salvation Army’s annual Summer Day Camp Program. Through their efforts, the team delivered 200 fully packed school backpacks to the Salvation Army Community Center, ensuring that over 50 campers received essential supplies as they were preparing for their return to school. Remaining backpacks were distributed by the Salvation Army staff to children in underserved neighborhoods, further extending the program’s positive impact throughout the community.
