Achieving Sustainable Development Goals: A Case Study of Dalmia Bharat Sugar & Industries Limited
摘要
Sugarcane-based agro-industry in India is spread over 5.2 million hectare and employs around 12 million people. It has immense potential to create shared value for the people, communities, businesses, economies, and ecosystems. This sector is instrumental in positively influencing a number of key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study was performed at Dalmia Bharat Sugar & Industries Limited (DBSIL), highlighting important SDGs, which the company has achieved over the years. The DBSIL has five sugar units (600,000 tonnes sugar/annum), five co-generation plants (119 MW) and two distilleries (305 KLPD) producing bio-ethanol and hand sanitizer. The company’s 36,500 TCD plants are supporting over 2500 employees, 1,50,000 farmers and their families with an annual turnover of USD 3.7 million (INR 2739 crore). The Sustainable Sugar Intensification project is capable of producing 4.5–5.0 million tonnes of quality sugarcane annually, with 30% saving of irrigation water. It has established 559 vermi-compost units, 948 farmyard manure units, and distributed 1358 solar-powered battery sprayers to promote green technology. The DBSIL has taken several initiatives to protect groundwater quality, rainwater harvesting, reducing greenhouse gases emissions, bio-recycling of wastes and effluents to minimize the carbon foot prints. During 2021, about 29 million KL of water was conserved through drip irrigation; constructed 1401 water harvesting structures and 9200 hectares of land were brought under watershed projects. The company has achieved Zero Liquid Discharge at all their plants and provided 8,01,910 m3 of recycled water to the farmers for irrigation. At present, 1179 self-help groups consisting of 14,000 women members and 12 training centers are active in income-generating and entrepreneurship development activities. Company’s CSR funded programs include nine e-literacy centers, women and child education, rural health services, climate action, sanitation and potable water facilities, COVID-19 relief, prevention initiatives, and rural roads. The five co-generation plants are producing clean and green electrical energy, and around 60% of surplus renewable electricity is exported to grid for electricity supply to 145 villages. DBSIL has partnered with several NGOs to drive improvement in economic, social and environmental performance of growers and millers, contributing in achieving goals of SDGs.