Page 7 - TCExpessions 2019

Cover Story 7

businesses to achieve global leadership. Sustainability for address is the overburdened infrastructure, especially for
the group means balancing economic, environmental and waste collection, given the growth in urbanisation and
social performance to create long-term stakeholder value. consumerism.

The Tata Sustainability Policy states that “the Tata group is Globally, 2 billion people were without waste collection
committed to integrate environmental, social and ethical services, and 3 billion people lacked access to controlled
principles into its business” as this is “central to improving waste disposal facilities, according to data collected by
the quality of life of the communities we serve globally the UN between 2010 and 2018. The problem will only
and enhancing long-term stakeholder value”. worsen, going forward. The UN expects the total amount
of waste generated globally to double from nearly 2
While the Tata Global Sustainability Council provides billion metric tonnes in 2016 to about 4 billion metric
strategic direction to Tata group companies to achieve the tonnes by 2050.
SDGs, the TSG has also laid out key performance indicators
on various parameters for this. These include emissions, Even where it is collected, municipal solid waste (MSW)
energy, water, solid waste, volunteering in the community, is not always disposed of correctly since many disposal
gender diversity and also compliance with social, safety, facilities in countries like India are open dumpsites that
human rights and environmental norms by its suppliers contribute to air, water and soil pollution.
and distributors. It has also designed a Tata Sustainability
Assessment Framework for mapping the maturity of In fact, MSW management is a huge challenge in India
sustainability practices, processes and initiatives within since most urban local bodies face capacity and financial
individual Tata companies. constraints to manage waste effectively. Random
disposal of waste on low-lying lands has resulted in the
Naturally, then, Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE) too is accumulation of large piles of waste, especially in metro
focused on achieving global sustainability leadership cities, across the country. The resulting emission of
in its own business, as evident from the numerous methane gas from landfill sites and percolation of leachate
projects undertaken, from waste management and leading to groundwater pollution is also posing health
sewerage treatment to smart cities and renewal of urban hazards for those living in the vicinity of these landfills.
infrastructure.
TCE’s consultancy services for building waste-to-energy
Waste to energy plants using incineration technology has an important
If the world is to achieve the SDG of sustainable cities role to play here especially since, as per the Swachh Bharat
and communities, one of the challenges it will have to Mission, 100% of MSW generated in urban areas must