An innovative effort – Virtual Classrooms in Ed-tech segment by Sterlite School Tech has impacted more than 146,000 children in 480 MCGM (Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai) schools over the last 5 years. The program has a single focused goal of extending quality education to students from families below the poverty line who cannot afford private education, thus reducing inequalities and creating equal growth opportunities.
Understanding the existing gaps in the delivery of English medium instruction at Municipal Schools, Sterlite School Tech leveraged last mile digital connectivity to improve and strengthen the existing system. Classrooms in Government schools are connected to a live studio where experts interact with several schools and their students simultaneously. The objective of the project is to benefit these student not only in the short-term, but also impact their aspirations and mind-sets towards higher learning, self-confidence and income-earning opportunities for the future.

Sterlite believes that technology can change the education landscape of our country. Virtual Classrooms aims to mitigate the effects of problems such as unavailability of qualified teachers and the dismal quality of teaching in English at municipal schools.

Realizing the critical need of the rural tribal population in Dadra & Nagar Haveli for primary health care services, Sterlite Tech initiated itsProgram. The MMU Project is run in partnership with the Indian Red Cross Society. first MMU in 2006, as part of its Sustainable Development

The program has been providing free health checkups to 24 villages, serving more than two lakh patients and reinforcing the effort by preventive awareness programs and monitoring of the difficulties faced by the villagers. This has brought about a noticeable change in the health and general well-being of the villagers. Facilities like doctors treating simple illnesses, vaccinations for preventive health care and a mobile dispensary providing medicines for minor ailments are provided by the MMU.

The Jeewan Jyoti Women Empowerment Institute was setup in 2014 at Ambavane, Taluka Velhe.

Although just 50 kms away from Pune, this region was largely underdeveloped and had a patriarchal society. Women thus had no freedom to voice their concerns and thoughts and the literacy rate among them was extremely low. The institute aimed at addressing these issues by not just empowering rural women with equal learning opportunities and professional training courses in areas such as nursing, tailoring, beauty culture and computers among others; but also ensuring their holistic development by making them self-sufficient, feel respected in their families and have a part in the decision making process. Jeewan Jyoti also endeavors to reach out to women of all age groups through various off campus programs on Personality Development, Health and Financial Knowledge.

Till date, over 700 women have been trained at the institute and 561 have successfully completed the courses offered. Women who have passed out from the institute now earn an additional income of Rs. 2,000 to 12,000 per month. Some of the women have even started their own businesses using the skills learned at the institute becoming entrepreneurs in the true sense.

The students which include women from across 93 villages; through their renewed confidence and ability to now even support their families have changed the outlook and mindset of the communities they live in. They have become role models for girls and women in the region and ambassadors for the institute. Through them, the institute has ultimately impacted over 28,000 lives. Child marriages in the villages the institute covers have reduced and the marriageable age of women has increased from 15 to 17 years to over 20 years.

In view of the drought conditions in Aurangabad, Sterlite Tech through its CSR implementing arm - Sterlite Tech Foundation (STF), constructed several dams, mati nala bunds and other water storage structures between 2006 to 2011 in villages worst affected by the drought; and also initiated several process modifications at its Optic Fiber (OF) plant in Waluj to reduce water consumption and achieve zero water discharge..

For revival of those structures and ensure water sustainability in new villages, Sterlite initiated Project Jaldoot in 2016. The entire project was done through community participation which brought in their ownership and ensured its viability.

Simultaneously, by ensuring Zero Water Discharge at its OF plant, Sterlite reduced its water consumption by 35% and costs by Rs. 70 lakhs per annum. An Effluent Treatment Plant and Multipurpose Effective Evaporator were installed and a robust monitoring system started to ensure efficiency. Processes where waste water (within permissible limits) could be reused directly were identified and changed.

Through these efforts Sterlite replenished 644,000 cubic meters of water in the communities surrounding its plants in Aurangabad. This replaced capacity which is almost 2.5 times the amount of water Sterlite uses at its plants has enabled the company to become net water positive.

Sterlite Tech has always been mindful about activities related to the environment. With the intention of alleviating the effects of climate change caused by industrialization in Aurangabad, Sterlite Tech proactively initiated Project Green Belt in addition to several alterations and changes within its manufacturing plants.

Project Green Belt has ensured that the approach road to MIDC, Waluj (Aurangabad) is lush green and pollution-free. Over 5000 trees with air filtration capabilities were planted along 2 kilometers on both sides of the road using a multilayer plantation method. This ensured that maximum number of trees were planted within this area. Further, to sustain the green belt, mulching and drip irrigation systems were implemented which ensured judicious use of water. Sterlite has maintained a 90% sustainability rate which has set a benchmark in Aurangabad. The project; has not only transformed this area from a state of despair, but also helps absorb around 60,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide and creates around 500,000 kilograms of oxygen yearly.

Several energy and power conservation initiatives are also done within the plant to further reduce Sterlite Tech’s carbon footprint. Green Zones are being developed within the plants’ premises. All of these initiatives have enabled Sterlite Tech to additionally reduce carbon emissions by over 880,000 kilograms .