Tata Refractories conferred the TERI Corporate Social Responsibility Award 2009

Tata Refractories (TRL) has been conferred the prestigious TERI Corporate Social Responsibility Award 2009 by the President of India on June 5, 2009 at an event organised by The Energy & Resources Institute (TERI) held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. AK Chattopadhyay, managing director, Tata Refractories, received the award from Pratibha Patil, President of India, in the presence of RK Pachauri, director, TERI, and Jairam Ramesh, minister of state, forest and environment, government of India.

Tata Refractories has been selected for the award for its outstanding contribution for combating congenital deformities like cleft lip and cleft palate under their Operation Khushi programme, a major corporate sustainability (CS) initiative of the company. The selection has been made by a jury headed by JS Verma, former justice of the Supreme Court of India in the category of corporates having turnover from Rs100 crore to Rs1,000 crore. It may be noted that while TRL was declared the winner of the first prize, no company was found suitable for the second prize.

After receiving the award, Mr Chattopadhyay said, "As a responsible corporate citizen, for half a century, Tata Refractories has been working relentlessly to improve the quality of life of the community around it and has set standards in corporate social responsibility. This award is a recognition of the exemplary work undertaken by Tata Refractories in surgical correction of a lifelong physical deformity like cleft lip / cleft palate, also a source of social stigma." He added, "Their smile is our 'khushi' (happiness)."

Tata Refractories, a pioneer in undertaking community development and social welfare work in the region, has identified 70 villages in the Lakhanpur block of Jharsuguda disrict in Orissa as its key community. Consistent with the group purpose, Tata Refractories has launched many focused CS initiatives in the areas of health and sanitation, education, self employment and entreprenurship development, women empowerment, literacy and awareness, infrastructure development and support, etc.

TRL's involvement towards correcting cleft lip and cleft palate dates back to the early part of 2004 when the organisation realised that the deformity is rampant in this region and there is no treatment available. The company launched a programme named Operation Khushi and got the correction surgery done at the Tata Main Hospital, Jamshedpur, at the company's cost. TRL continued to do so till 2008. In October 2008, the company's JG Hospital at Belpahar got accredited by 'the Smile Train' of USA, an international NGO working for the cause of correction of cleft lip and cleft palate worldwide.

So far more than 400 cases have been operated free of charge under this programme, thereby bringing a 'smile' to many faces — from a child of one year to a grown up adult of 40 years. Some of the female beneficiaries, after the surgery, could get married and are leading happy conjugal life. The company has now extended this facility to all, including people residing outside Orissa.

Source : Equity Bulls

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