TRANSFORMING TRANSFORMING TRANSFORMING SUSTAINABILITY REPORT FY 2023 COMMUNITIES THE PLANET THE WORKPLACE Aim 5 Achieving net water positivity by 2030 Key Material Issues One (HZL) of our four (HZL,IOB, Cairn Efficient water management can lower operational expenses, greater lead to significant competitive resilience to sudden setbacks and Water management and BMM) water positive operations is located in water-stressed areas advantage for the company given increased buy-in from the and in coastal regions, highlighting the importance of this resource as community. the need for conservation, efficient an input. We aim to be self-reliant in water use, recycling, responsible terms of our water demand and are To meet our sustainability goal of 1 water treatment and discharge. We building our capabilities through the becoming water positive by 2030, Water is a key resource for our business and ensuring water follow a comprehensive and holistic implementation of water Vedanta is focusing on localized sustainability is a strategic priority for us. Since metals approach to water management with conservation measures, by solutions. The importance that we production and processing is water intensive our operations the intent of promoting long-term optimizing water usage, recycling attach to water management is require regular supplies of significant volumes of water. conservation, replenishment and water within operations to ultimately addressed through our corporate Assuring access to reliable water sources is thus essential self-reliance. Thus, our water reduce the reliance on freshwater level water policy, which is applicable to all our operations, for continuous operations. Water scarcity can severely management practices involve using sources. Greater control over water disrupt our production commitments, supply chains and less water-intensive technologies, supplies and the minimal use of businesses, and subsidiaries, with ultimately, our profitability. On the other hand, judicious use embedding circularity, ensuring water freshwater from external sources particular focus on those in water and management of shared water resources is equally vital, security and replenishing water in has many advantages in terms of stressed areas. as situations of conflict can negatively affect our Social watersheds and other community Licence to Operate within the local community. sources. Vedanta's corporate water policy • Compliance with • Prevent water • Categorizing and applicable national, pollution and periodically regional and local maintain zero liquid monitoring the water regulations discharge risk of every BU • Monitor water • Water conservation • Track performance In FY 23, we saw a usage performance through reduction, through indicators like 11.32% reduction in using industry recycle and reuse freshwater withdrawal, our overall freshwater accepted metrics water recharge etc consumption against the 2021 baseline. Our water positivity ratio improved to 0.62 in comparison to 0.51 achieved in FY 22. 1 Vedanta defines net water positive impact as the ratio of Water Credit (water given back to natural water bodies) and Water Debit (water taken from natural water bodies). If the ratio is >1, then the site is said to be water positive. 63
