Airtel Sustainability

At Airtel, aligning with stakeholders’ expectations, needs, and aspirations is at the core of our purpose. We firmly believe that understanding our stakeholders is imperative to building trust while responding to the opportunities and challenges created by the market. Our stakeholder Engagement framework outlines an approach to engage and work with our stakeholders and is applicable to all our operating entities and functions across the corporate and regional levels.

The primary focus of our framework is to:

Facilitate our ability to understand stakeholder concerns and interests, and incorporate them into our processes and activities.
Improve the way we communicate and engage with our stakeholders, including enhancing the clarity, accessibility, relevance, and timeliness of our communication throughout our engagement processes.
Continue enhancing stakeholders’ trust and confidence in our processes, decisions, and activities.

Stakeholder's expectations

Customers

Network quality, expansion, and transformation
Innovative products and services
Information security and customer data privacy
Enhancing customer experience and satisfaction
Fair marketing and advertising
Resource efficiency and waste management

Investors

Regulatory compliances
Corporate governance and business ethics
Climate change, energy efficiency and emission reduction

Suppliers

Sustainable supply chain management
Innovation of products and services
Green ICT solutions

Employees

Employee health and well-being
Talent attraction and human capital development
Diversity and inclusion
Innovation of products and services
Promoting human rights

Channel Partners

Sustainable supply chain management
Enhancing customer experience & satisfaction
Network quality, expansion and transformation

Network Partners

Network quality, expansion, and transformation
Climate change, energy efficiency & emission reduction
Sustainable supply chain management

Regulatory Bodies

Corporate governance & Business ethics
Regulatory compliances
Information security and customer data privacy

Communities

Corporate citizenship and community development
Regulatory compliances
Digital inclusion and enhanced access to ICT

Materiality assessment enables the Company to identify, prioritise, track, and report the most important sustainability issues that play a critical role in our sustainability strategy development process. Airtel as a responsible business organisation understands and addresses the material issues that are relevant to its business operations and the stakeholders to achieve long-term success. Embedding materiality aspects will enable the stakeholders to make more informed decisions about Airtel's impact (on environment and society), opportunities and risk profile, and enable the Company to effectively manage its sustainability risks and opportunities.

Airtel regularly engages with its stakeholders, gaining insights and reviewing new developments on various sustainability frameworks and market updates to understand the emerging risks and their potential impact on its business. In addition, Airtel considers telecom industry-specific material issues, along with various ESG rating assessments. This process helps in the identification of additional material issues, if any, build strategies and create value-creation approaches.

The Company engages with its internal and external stakeholders to have an improved understanding of the material issues that could directly impact its ability to create value. A materiality assessment is conducted every two years through an independent external agency, based on three aspects:

Economic, Environmental and Social Impacts of the Company
Business goals and priorities of the company
Needs and concerns of the company's major stakeholders

Airtel undertook a comprehensive materiality assessment exercise in FY2020-21, which was conducted by professional consultants, who worked closely with the Company’s internal and external stakeholders, following GRI Standards and guided by Account Ability’s AA1000 principles (2018).

The materiality assessment helps identify risk parameters that are integrated across all management levels within Airtel. These material issues are dynamic, and they vary based on changes in our external operating environment and the evolving expectations of our stakeholders. A total of 18 material issues were identified (depicted here in the form of a materiality matrix). The matrix categorises these material issues in order of critical, high and moderate significance to the organisation and its stakeholders.

Material Topics

Information security and customer data privacy
Talent attraction and human capital development
Corporate governance and business ethics
Climate change, energy efficiency and emission reduction
Enhancing customer experience and satisfaction
Network quality, expansion, and transformation
Regulatory compliance
Innovation in product and services
Employee health and well-being
Diversity and inclusion
Sustainable supply chain management
Promoting human rights
Corporate citizenship and community development
Resource efficiency and waste management
Fair marketing and advertising
Digital inclusion and enhanced access to ICT
Water efficiency
Green ICT solutions

The identified material topics and details of our interventions in each area are detailed in our annual Integrated Report.

Airtel ensures compliance to the highest standards of corporate governance through numerous policies, guidelines and standards. The company adheres to the highest levels of ethical and transparent business practices as articulated by the "Bharti Code of Conduct" which covers ethics, bribery, corruption and human rights. This is applicable to employees, suppliers and contractors, service providers, channel partners and their employees.

To facilitate an effective implementation of our Code of Conduct, we have an Ombudsman process which allows employee, contractors and vendors, to raise a grievance or complaint without any fear of reprisal. A formal process is undertaken to review and investigate any concern and take appropriate action in accordance with the Consequence Management Policy. All employees have to annually reaffirm their compliance to the code of conduct, and this compliance is strictly monitored. The instances of such misconduct are periodically reported to the Audit Committee.

Other Airtel policies have evolved in order to effectively engage with our stakeholders to maximize positive impact on environment and society. To ensure the health and safety of the community at large, Airtel also ensures that it is aligned with national and international guidelines on EMF.

Airtel believes that risk management and internal control are fundamental to effective corporate governance and the development of a sustainable business. It has a robust process to identify key risks across the group and prioritize relevant action plans that can mitigate these risks.

The Airtel brand essence of enriching lives embeds sustainability into its mainstream business agenda. A robust system of governance is in place and stakeholders help derive material issues that shape our ESG strategy and programs.

ESG Governance Structure

In order to drive its long-term sustainability vision, Airtel has established the following an ESG Governance Mechanism.

The Board of Directors (‘the Board’) Provides oversight on Company’s ESG priorities, long-term sustainability strategy, targets, and performance.

Risk Management Committee of the Board is responsible for reviewing strategic risks and opportunities including climate change.

Board ESG Committee provides strategic guidance and decision making on ESG and is responsible for review and approval of ESG strategy, goals, and targets.

ESG Council (at Management level) identifies ESG priorities and develops processes, systems, controls, and standard operating procedures to achieve the ESG targets.

Corporate Sustainability Function develops the ESG roadmap and monitors performance on initiatives as well as mapping and reporting of ESG progress in line with national and global frameworks.

ESG Functional Champions (representative from all functions) implement sustainability action plan on ground and are responsible for the execution and monitoring of ESG initiatives associated with their function

Refer here for details

Description	View Files
Description Bharti Airtel EHS Policy	View File
Description Bharti Airtel Human Rights Policy	View File
Description Bharti Airtel Tax Policy	View File
Description Stakeholder Engagement Framework	View File
Description Bharti COC Policy	View File
Description Ombudsperson policy and process	View File
Description Code of Conduct for Business Associates	View File
Description Bharti Airtel CSR policy	View File
Description Bharti Airtel Privacy Policy	View File
Description Airtel Sustainable Procurement Policy	View File

SDG	Our Approach	Our Initiatives
Goal 3: Good Health & Well-being	Airtel views any potential health and safety risk to its stakeholders very seriously and actively promotes the good health and well-being of its employees, business partners and the broader community.	We provide a safe working environment to our employees, and take concrete measures to promote good health, such as through wellness drives, on-site doctor, health risk assessments, stress management trainings and gym facilities. Regular safety trainings are provided to employees in order to ensure avoidance of hazards. Cautious action is taken to ensure that our offices function as havens of efficiency and high workforce productivity, through maintaining an ergonomic design, optimum levels of indoor air quality, noise, temperature and humidity. Our office design facilitates comfort, convenience and collaboration among the employees, and is suitable to the needs of all.
Goal 4: Quality Education	Airtel has adopted a significant role in enabling the progress, development and inclusion of the vulnerable sections of the community where it operates, through provision of quality education. We believe that education is the foundation for eradication of poverty, and hence view it as an essential component for fulfilling our corporate social responsibility.	Bharti Airtel has committed itself towards sustainable development through actively engaging with the communities it operates in. Our philanthropic efforts, employee volunteerism, and local community outreach initiatives support the desire to be seen as a trusted partner - one that honours its commitments and takes pride in the role it plays in community wellness. It is determined to create a deep- rooted, positive impact on society at large. Therefore, it proactively applies its competence and partnerships to promote development initiatives through initiatives undertaken by Bharti Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bharti Enterprises, and its own telecom circles at the regional level.
Goal 5: Gender Equality	Respecting diversity is one of the core values with which Airtel conducts itself. It not just respects but promotes diversity of gender, ethnicity, race and nationality, in order to build a truly inclusive organization.	Airtel respects diversity and encourages the same through its culture. Female employees are well represented across all levels of the organization. We have dedicated programs that aim to empower women and promote gender equality. Gender sensitization workshops like ‘Inclusion in action’ and ‘Unconscious Bia's’ is covered for all people managers to create an inclusive and gender neutral workplace culture. We have progressive policies for employees that enable a friendly and engaged work environment. We also have dedicated program for women employees like ‘We lead’ aiming to create women leaders of tomorrow by building on identified competencies.
Goal 7: Affordable & Clean Energy	Airtel is committed to adopt clean energy and is in constant efforts to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, increase its share of renewable energy, and thus reduce its ecological footprint.	We are taking proactive steps to increase the share of renewables in our energy mix, in order to reduce our ecological footprint. From Installation of Rooftop solar panels and procurement of Green Energy through power wheeling arrangements. 156,698 MWh of energy consumed in our operations was from renewable sources.
Goal 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth	Airtel is committed to create the most conducive workplace for its employees to grow and develop, ensuring equal opportunity and ethical conduct.	We employ around 21,575 people globally and have consciously adopted a policy of equal opportunity for all people related activities, be it recruitment, selection, career planning, or growth. Our network reaches to the remotest pockets of India, where the rural population suffers from poverty and lack of opportunities. Airtel takes special measures to employ the local youth at these sites and help them attain sustainable livelihoods. Through a sustainable supply chain management program, we ensure the adherence to human rights and labor laws amongst our vendors as well.
Goal 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure	Airtel is in continuous momentum to innovate and come up with new products and services, to give an enhanced experience to its customers, and find creative solutions to social problems.	Innovation runs at the heart of Airtel. Leveraging latest technologies, strong R&D, and effective collaborations, Airtel comes up with innovative products and services each year to create an advanced way of living, for its customers. Some of our measures include. From enabling our customers through digitization and self-care, facilitating convenience through digital stores, we are striving to innovate in every aspect of our operations. Apart from telecom, we also provide innovative technology solutions to address the need for basic life services such as health, education, financial inclusion and agriculture. We are in a continual process to strengthen our infrastructure, i.e. network infrastructure, through modernization and expansion, in order to provide the best quality service. We also indulge in passive infrastructure sharing, in order to optimize resource consumption and reduce our environmental impact.
Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities	Airtel is committed to promote diversity and inclusion, reduce inequalities by prohibiting discrimination and promote Human Capital Development.	Airtel is committed to preventing any violation of human rights throughout our operations, supply chains, communities and business relationships. All employees receive training to ensure prevention of discrimination and harassment in the workplace. We have institutionalized policies to prohibit discrimination and foster culture of diversity and inclusion. We focus to enhance skills of individuals by promoting training and development.
Goal 12: Responsible Consumption & Production	Airtel is committed to transition towards circular economy through reduction of waste and resource optimization at all stages of its operations.	Airtel has declared War on Waste and is taking concrete steps to reduce our resource consumption and transition to a more sustainable production. Measures include recycling of paper and E-waste, introduction of E-bills, take back & refurbishing of DTH set top boxes, shift to green mobile tower technologies that consume less power, green network Infrastructure , tower sharing to save resources like steel, cement, concrete, zinc and land. We are also striving to increase the share of renewable energy in our total energy mix.
Goal 13: limate Action	Airtel is proactively contributing to the global climate change movement, through measurement and reduction of its ecological footprint across the value chain, including business operations, supply chain and delivery of services.	Airtel understands its responsibility to consistently evaluate the impact of its services, operations and infrastructure on the environment. The Company acknowledges the need for constant assessment of its overall influence on energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We undertake a plethora of measures to increase our energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, such as installation of solar panels, alternating diesel battery hybrid mode which helps to reduce diesel consumption, green power wheeling agreement for procurement of green energy, switching off ACs and utilizing natural solar cooling to reduce energy demand at own & partner sites, intelligent shutdown technology which switches off equipment during non-peak hours, cold aisle containment that uses a physical barrier to reduce the mixing of cold air and hot exhaust air in data center aisles.
Goal 16: Peace Justice and Strong Institutions	Airtel is committed to a strong and robust foundation of ethics and responsibility to sustain economic value.	Airtel, with its legacy of fair, transparent and ethical governance practices, the Company’s Code of Business Conduct reinforces its commitment to operate with the highest degree of integrity and is applicable to all employees, Board of Directors, subsidiaries, and Business Associates (suppliers, contractors, service providers and other key business partners) of the company. It outlines principles against discrimination, anti-competitive practices, insider trading and prohibits corruption, bribes, kickbacks, and improper payments. Further, to avoid any conflict of interest, the Company has placed necessary safeguards as part of its Corporate Governance structure and the Code of Conduct. To ensure effective implementation of its Code of Conduct, Airtel’s Ombudsman policy allows employees, contractors, and vendors to raise a complaint without any fear of reprisal. Further to promote an effective, accountable, and transparent institution based on inclusive decision making, Airtel has a sound corporate governance philosophy and structure in place

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