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S.H.E initiatives:
Sulphites
world class manufacturing
| total
productive maintenance
| six
sigma
| kaizen
suggestion system
| 5S activities
| quality
of life clubs
| quality
circle
The sulphites division of Aditya Birla Chemicals is
committed to its safety, health and environmental initiatives.
The division is recognised as a World Class Manufacturer
(WCM). It operates on two functional levels, with one,
the business perspective, providing value to customers,
shareholders, and employees. The other level is its
commitment to the nations in which the company operates,
to society, and to the global community. The division
emphasises that its duties to the nation and the world
include appropriately managing environmental issues
in its industrial environment. The sulphites division
is ISO 14001 certified, demonstrating its compliance
with international standards. It is committed to sustainable
development and the continual improvement of safety
systems to address the new challenges posed by globalisation
which is demonstrated by its OHSAS 18001 certification.
Behaviour-Based Safety
Programme
BBS at Aditya Birla Chemicals is a commitment that
helps companies create injury-free workplaces. Aditya
Birla Chemicals launched a behaviour-based safety programme
across all chemical units in 2009, aimed at helping
to reduce occupational injuries, improve organisational
functioning, and develop a strong safety ethic. BBS
“focusses on what people do, analyses why they do it,
and then applies a research-supported intervention strategy
to improve what people do”.
Behaviour-based safety is based on four key components:
- A behavioural observation and
feedback process
- A formal review of observation
data
- The improvement of goals
- Reinforcement for improvement
and goal attainment
World Class Manufacturing
(WCM)
WCM is a unique strategy for attaining enterprise excellence
by focussing on manufacturing. This strategy encompasses
the essentials in the world of managing manufacturing.
It is a long-term structure approach that is a cyclical
(PDCA — plan, do, check, act), comprehensive and systematic
business tool. The process involves a cultural transformation,
leading to organisational change, better management
processes and organisational learning. It focusses on
people, process, and results on a continuous basis.
WCM is, in itself, a competitive strategy that aims
to realise stakeholders', including customers and employees,
delight by focussing on sustainable and superior quality,
cost, delivery, innovation, productivity and pride (QCDIP).
WCM helps achieve this sustainable, superior performance
by putting in place the "art of manufacturing for
consistent excellence". It is diagnostic in nature,
as it enables abnormalities to show themselves.
The sulphites division of Aditya Birla
Chemicals is looking to solidify its place as a WCM.
We employ business tools like Total Productive Maintenance
(TPM), Total Quality Management (TQM), the Kaizen Suggestion
System (KSS), Six Sigma, 5S improvement principles,
quality circles, and quality of life clubs.

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a strategic shop-floor
approach that primarily aims at building a corporate
institution that enables the maximisation of overall
plant effectiveness through the involvement of everyone,
across all levels and functions of the organisation.
The goals of TPM breaks down to, simply, zero breakdowns,
zero accidents, and zero defects. The sulphites division
initiated the implementation of TPM in 1999, inaugurated
by the TPM consultant of the Japan Institute of Plant
Maintenance (JIPM). TPM implementation includes eight
pillars of activity that encompass all business processes.
Although we were able to achieve the TPM Excellence
Award in 2002, we understand that TPM is an ongoing
initiative and that strict adherence through total employee
participation is the road map to zero breakdowns, zero
accidents, and zero defects.
Six Sigma
The goal of Six Sigma is to increase profits by eliminating
variability, defects and waste that undermine customer
loyalty. Six Sigma is a rigorous and a systematic methodology
that utilises information (management by facts) and
statistical analysis to measure and improve a company's
operational performance, practices and systems. Defects
are identified and prevented in manufacturing- and service-related
processes to a level that exceeds the anticipated expectations
of all stakeholders.

Kaizen Suggestion System (KSS)
To ensure the involvement of each individual, the sulphites
division has implemented the Kaizen Suggestion System
(KSS), which motivates employees to come out with innovative
suggestions for improving the organisation's performance
in terms of quality, safety, work efficiency and cost
reductions. The benefits of KSS include improved worker
pride and employee morale, an improved working environment,
improved working conditions, work efficiency and quality
of work, and overall reductions in cost and increases
in workplace safety.
5S activities
A disciplined improvement, 5S activities have been in
place at the sulphites division since 1996. Based and
developed in Japan, 5S is a process of workplace organisation
and housekeeping that is carried out gradually and systematically.
5S improvement principles consists of:
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Seiri, or sort out
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Remove
what is not needed and keep what is |
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Seiton, or make convenient
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Place
things in such a way that they can be easily reached
whenever they are needed |
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Seiso, or cleanliness
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Keep
things clean and polished; no trash or dirt in the
workplace |
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Seiketsu, or standardisation
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Maintain cleanliness
after cleaning — perpetual cleaning |
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Shitsuke, or discipline
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Commitment,
a typical teaching and attitude toward any undertaking
to inspire pride and adherence to standards established
for the four components |

Quality of life
clubs
The quality of our people is an important factor for continuous
improvement. With this in mind, quality of life clubs
is an initiative where members collectively form clubs
to work towards a common goal. Some of the groups include
the following:
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Agriculture group
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Involved
in tree plantation within the plant |
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Health group
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Involved
in propagating morning exercises and sport activities |
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Buddhism group
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Involved
in religious functions |
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Sacrifice group
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Involved
in leading community-development initiatives |
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Punctuality group
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Involved
in propagating the value of timeliness |
| Gratitude
group |
Involved
in demonstrating respect to the nation and mankind |
The result is an improved lifestyle
where all members are involved in tasks that promote teamwork,
social service and self-discipline.
Quality circle
A quality circle is a movement, or a 'way of life'.
Each member is committed to ensure the success of the
quality circle programme. Launched in 1997, the programme
has 100 per cent active employee participation, which
has enhanced creative thinking, leading to tangible
as well as intangible results. The division believes
that the employees are underlying assets and strives
to continuously develop and provide them with opportunities
to share ideas for the improvement of their organisation.
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