An Aditya Birla Group Commitment 49 04 Strategic Stakeholder Engagement A transformative working relationship As a result of the scenario planning process, both our Retail and Pulp and Fibre businesses have developed relationships with the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) to engage on improving transparency in the apparel supply chain. They are now part of the debate and discussion that is driving best practice in the industry and are working with other leading global brands to achieve this. In addition, the adoption of the HIGG Index has led to self-assessments that are driving improvements in their management processes and the verification of their systems. This is thereby practically improving their operational standards. Engagement with others in the sector has allowed our leadership to consider the role of accountability and transparency in their supply chains and communications strategies, leading to understanding the benefits to processes but also brand credibility and differentiation. As consumer and customer expectations grow, our businesses are setting the processes in place now to be prepared for the future expectations of us. The initiation of the relationship with the SAC has led to a deeper engagement through membership of working groups and Group representation on the SAC Board. Such strategic stakeholder engagement has become an internal case study for demonstrating the value that can be achieved through this type of approach for our Group businesses. Leading beyond our boundaries Our work with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is multifaceted, with the Group and individual businesses engaging with it and its members on a variety of thematic areas. We have a presence on working groups focused on areas such as the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) and the recently formed, Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) that is working on climate, biodiversity, safety and recycling, the Chemical Management Group that is working to develop a harmonised approach to corporate greenhouse gas accounting and reporting and the Water Stewardship Working Group that is funding the creation of mapping tools. We are adopting the use of management diagnostic tools such as the Global and India Water Tools across our businesses to mitigate and where necessary, adapt our water exposures. Membership of a global initiative like the WBCSD is critical to achieving our vision of leadership in sustainable business practices as it makes us party to the development of best practice tools that will assist us in becoming future-ready. We are active in driving the strategic thinking of the WBCSD by being committee and board members of The Water Cluster Board, The Indian Advisory Committee and the CSI. Such endeavours mean that we are not only embedding sustainable business practices in our own operations but are also helping to shape the direction that business and industry takes as a whole. At the Aditya Birla Group, we recognise that leadership also means being proactively engaged in the debates taking place around us, learning from experts and shaping our operations to make them sustainable for the future.