Hindustan Zinc's Uthori Campaign sensitizes over 1 lakh individuals on societal issues

Hindustan Zinc Limited (NSE: HINDZINC), India’s largest and World’s second-largest integrated zinc producer proudly commemorates its achievement of reaching over 1 lakh people across 120 villages through its Uthori campaign, a vital component of the company’s flagship project ‘Sakhi’. Hindustan Zinc’s Sakhi program promotes women empowerment and mobilizes tribal and rural women groups to make them financially independent and empower them to become change agents in society. Initiated in 2021, Uthori is dedicated to advancing gender inclusion by addressing critical societal issues for women such as domestic violence, female foeticide, and child marriage in rural communities. The initiative aims at sensitizing rural and tribal women through village drives, group discussions, rallies and school sessions to bring a positive change at the grassroots level.

In a recent achievement, the Uthori campaign has sensitized more than 11,000 students across 180 schools in Rajasthan on topics like menstrual health thereby encouraging open dialogue among preadolescents and adolescents. The Sakhi initiative, from which Uthori campaign stems, is rooted in empowering women by fostering financial and individual independence. Sakhi achieves this through sustainable grassroots institutions such as federations, village organizations, self-help groups (SHGs), and microenterprises. The success of the Uthori campaign is part of the larger impact of Hindustan Zinc's Sakhi initiative. With around 25,000 women benefiting from various programs under Sakhi, including microenterprises and SHGs, the initiative has made a tangible difference across 200 villages. Sakhi's achievements include the formation of more than 2,000 SHGs, the development of 12 microenterprises, and the launch of the Uthori Awareness Programme, which has reached more than 1 lakh beneficiaries.

Beyond empowering rural women, Hindustan Zinc's CSR efforts have made a significant impact on about 2 million people from around 3,700 villages. Programs such as Nand Ghar, Zinc’s Shiksha Sambal, and Unchi Udaan are central to this impact. Hindustan Zinc’s comprehensive CSR initiatives focus on enhancing education, healthcare, sanitation, and sustainable livelihoods. The company's efforts aim to foster holistic community development, with a particular emphasis on empowering women and children. To date, approximately 1.4 million individuals have benefited from these programs, which promote access to quality education, improved health services, clean water, sanitation facilities, microenterprise opportunities, and cultural enrichment. These initiatives reflect Hindustan Zinc's commitment to creating lasting, positive change in the communities it serves.

As Hindustan Zinc continues to champion women's empowerment and gender equity, the organization remains committed to expanding the reach and impact of its initiatives. By the end of the financial year, Sakhi aims to have touched the lives of countless more individuals, reinforcing the belief that true equality is achieved through sustained community engagement and empowerment.

Hindustan Zinc Limited (BSE: 500188 and NSE: HINDZINC), a Vedanta Group company, is the world’s second-largest integrated zinc producer and the third-largest silver producer. The company supplies to more than 40 countries and holds a market share of about 75% of the primary zinc market in India. Hindustan Zinc has been recognized as the world’s most sustainable company in the metals and mining category by the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023, reflecting its operational excellence, innovation, and leading ESG practices. The company also launched EcoZen Asia's first low carbon 'green' zinc brand. Produced using renewable energy, EcoZen has a carbon footprint of less than 1 tonne of carbon equivalent per tonne of zinc produced, about 75% lower than the global average. Hindustan Zinc is also a certified 2.41 times Water-Positive company and is committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050 or sooner. Transforming the lives of 1.9 million people through its focused social welfare initiatives, Hindustan Zinc is among the Top 10 CSR companies in India. As a world leader in the metals and mining industry, by Hindustan Zinc is pivotal in providing critical metals essential for the global energy transition for a sustainable future.