Efforts to accelerate its business towards a circular model recognised as most innovative and impactful

UltraTech Cement Limited, the largest manufacturer of grey cement, white cement and ready-mix concrete in India, has won Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s (FICCI) Indian Circular Economy Award (ICEA), 2021. UltraTech has been declared as a joint winner in the Large Enterprise category. As a joint winner in the Large Enterprise category, the award appreciates UltraTech’s efforts to accelerate its business towards a circular model and identifies the Company as most innovative and impactful in its practices.

Organised by FICCI, ICEA is India’s most prestigious award, exclusively dedicated to circular economy. The Awards ceremony was held virtually on 25th November and the winners were announced in the presence of Mr. Amitabh Kant, Chief Executive Officer, National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog). ICEA aims to reward and recognize achievements and success of organizations or individuals involved in catalysing innovations through their strategies and creative approaches. The award recognises notable contributions made towards building a circular economy and a sustainable future.

Building a Circular Economy Model

UltraTech is committed to driving sustainability across the value chain of its operations. The focus areas are decarbonisation, circular economy, biodiversity management, water positivity, safe operations and community development.

The circularity of materials is a priority for UltraTech in tackling the issue of overutilization of natural resources and disposal of waste generated from its use. UltraTech focusses on using fewer natural resources across its value chain. The Company follows a dual approach for efficient waste management: First, by generating less waste using raw materials judiciously so that waste can be managed effectively. Second, by substituting fossil fuels and raw materials with waste material generated not only from the Company’s plants but also from other industries and municipal corporations thus helping to reduce the carbon footprint as well as preventing waste disposal as landfill.

UltraTech has developed systems at its unit locations to utilize waste materials safely and efficiently following the principles of circular economy. UltraTech uses industrial waste and municipal solid waste as alternative fuel in its kilns through co-processing. Currently, UltraTech supports 80 municipal corporations across India by helping them reduce the waste headed for landfills. UltraTech also uses industrial waste such as fly ash, gypsum and slag as substitute for naturally occurring limestone in the cement manufacturing process. Recently, UltraTech’s R&D teams patented the process of using red mud, an Aluminium industry waste product, replacing natural raw materials in the cement manufacturing process.

UltraTech’s Circular Economy Highlights

• 10+ million tCO2 annual savings due to utilization of waste material
• 18.36% of raw material consumed in FY21 was recycled material
• 120+ million tons of industrial waste repurposed in last decade
• 2.2 times Plastic Positive as of FY21