Human Rights
The United Nations define human rights as ‘rights inherent to all human beings regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, disability, or any other status'. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more.’ Everyone is entitled to these rights. However, across the world, individuals and groups are denied these inalienable rights and are, instead, subject to prejudice and discrimination. JSW has a moral obligation to do all that it can to both actively involve itself in the protection and enhancement of human rights in areas that are within its direct control, and to work with others to protect each and every individual’s rights and freedoms. JSW is fully committed to promote inclusivity & equality amongst everyone, prohibiting any discrimination along with safeguarding the Human Rights of all its employees. We are committed to prevent human trafficking, child labour, forced labour, harmful conditions, discrimination and harassment in our operations. We are developing a process of identifying and mapping human rights risks in our own operations, value chain as well as new business relations. Comprehensive human rights impact assessment and due diligence studies are being conducted at our operations.
SDG Mapping of JSW Steel’s Initiatives & Projects
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- JSW believes that every human being has the right to equality and non-discrimination.
- JSW Steel respects human rights and is committed to ensuring that they are protected. To this end, the Company has a human rights policy that addresses human rights issues across the supply chain. It articulates the Company’s stand on human rights, including non-discrimination, prohibition of child and forced labour, freedom of association and the right to engage in collective bargaining.
- Officers of security agencies are trained to act in a manner that respects human rights at all times and comply with all the applicable national, state, and local laws. JSW Steel contributes to the fulfilment of human rights through compliance with local human rights legislation wherever it has operations, as well as through its policies, programmes and grievance redressal mechanism. No complaints related to child labour, forced labour, involuntary labour, or discriminatory employment were received during FY 2024-25.
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- The JSW Foundation has been helping the women to become self-aware of their true potential by bequeathing them with the clout to make decisions for their own good so they find their rightful place in the society and at the same time, contribute to the GDP fueling the economic growth of the nation.
- 5 ISO certified rural BPO (operational) and 500+ women engaged.
- Empowered women with the knowledge and skills required to work in the IT-BPO industry, across rural Karnataka and Maharashtra.
- Offering services in the areas of banking, healthcare, accounts payable services, e-publishing, etc. through non-voice BPO centres.
- Another initiative by JSW Foundation, JSW Skills School, aims to improve the employability of the youth and women by offering industry-centric courses for vocational skill enhancement
- Six JSW Skill Schools providing short-term and long-term courses
- Member of Institute Development Committee of 21 government-aided it is across India
- Organised self-help groups where rural women are trained in basic financial management to help set up a business
- Partnered with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and got permanent empanelment with Maharashtra State Skill Development Society (MSSDS)
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- JSW believes that every human being has the right to safe drinking water and sanitation. To ensure the same both for employees and the local communities, JSW has carried out various initiatives.
- JSW provides proper water, sanitation and hygiene facilities to all its employees, associates and contracted employees.
- Through the CSR projects, JSW aims to improve the sanitary living condition of the local communities along with conservation of water.
Human Rights Due Diligence
Human Rights Due Diligence assessments have been undertaken at several operational locations for both JSW Steel & JSW Energy. The methodology is aligned with guidance provided by UNDP & ICMM, as well as JSW’s ERM framework which is aligned with COSO.
The assessment broadly covers risks under the following domains of human rights:
- Labour Rights - including protection against child labour, forced labour, and human trafficking
- Minimum Wages
- Equal Remuneration
- Freedom of Association and Right to Collective Bargaining
- Environmental Rights
- Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment
- Voice and Participation
- Gender Equality
- Data Privacy
- Governance and Security
- Grievance Redressal
The key stakeholders covered while conducting HRDD are Employees, Contract Workers (including migrant workers), Local Communities/Society (including women, children, and indigenous people), Suppliers, and Customers.
The scope of the HRDD includes our own operations and supply chain, and will also be applicable in the event of a merger or acquisition. Once the risks are identified for all operations, periodic review will be carried out to map potential issues, and track progress towards mitigating salient risks identified as part of the assessment.
All of JSW Steel Standalone’s Integrated Steel Plants, and 2 mining locations have been assessed as part of our human rights program. Site-specific human rights management plans have been formulated for each site post-completion of the Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) process.
These plans delve into the intricacies of each site's unique context, and meticulously detail measures for risk mitigation, delineate clear roles and responsibilities, assign appropriate authorities, and set specific targets to ensure the protection and promotion of human rights within the operational sphere.
Out of the Integrated Steel Plants, two sites were identified as having salient risks, and we have robust mitigation plans in place for all sites. Some of the mitigation measures that have been implemented are:
1) Grievance redressal mechanism for all stakeholders has been strengthened
2) A third-party has been appointed for overlooking the statutory requirements related to the compensation and rights of contractors
3) Audit protocols have been strengthened, and regular training sessions for all stakeholders are conducted
4) Internal assessment related to WASH program is being done
5) DEI is being enhanced across operations
6) Ensured availability of clean washroom and resting area facilities for workers and contractors
7) Improved hospital accessibility and first-aid readiness for employees and nearby communities
8) Conducted awareness programs on respectful behavior and well-being to foster an inclusive and safe workplace
9) Strengthened community engagement initiatives to address concerns related to traffic congestion and environmental impact
The salient human rights risks identified as part of the assessment include –
- Discrimination
- Diversity and Inclusivity
- Fair and Safe Working Conditions
- Health & Nutrition
- Community Issues
Labour Practices
JSW Steel’s Commitment:
JSW Steel is committed to upholding fair and transparent labour practices and protecting employment rights across our operations, contractors, and partners. As a part of our committment to the ILO conventions, we commit to ensure that all employees and workers are fairly and reasonably remunerated in compliance with statutory obligations, and we uphold the principle of equal pay for men and women. We commit to paying a living wage to all employees and workers, informed by plant-level assessments that consider factors such as food costs and living expenses, and such assessments have been conducted at our plants. We are committed to managing working hours in compliance with the statutory limits under the Factories Act, 1948, and to avoiding overtime wherever possible, while reducing it when unavoidable. All our employees and workers are entitled to paid annual leave, and minimum notice periods are observed prior to significant workforce changes. We recognise and respect the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining, promote a culture of consultation and cooperation, and provide a safe and healthy workplace. These commitments reflect our adherence to national laws and international labour standards and our dedication to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and rights-based work environment.
JSW Steel’s Programs:
At JSW Steel we ensure adequate wages above living wage to our employees and workers, informed by plant-level living wage assessments. We monitor working hours, including overtime, to prevent excessive workloads; where overtime is unavoidable, it remains voluntary and fairly compensated. Overtime is monitored based on our policy. If an employee or worker works overtime, they are given a compensatory off. Employees and workers are entitled to paid annual leave, and we encourage for these entitlements to be availed. We annually monitor the remuneration of our employees and workers to ensure equal remuneration can be achieved for men and women by analysing gender pay gap regularly. In engagements with workers’ representatives, including unions, we discuss upon key topics like working conditions, health and safety as well as any grievances the workers face at our premises. Our entire workforce are provided with trainings for improving our operations towards in line with our climate transition plan and transition to a greener operations. This is also provided through our JSW Learning Academy which provides employees with access to a diverse and comprehensive library of curated courses spanning technical, managerial, and sustainability and climate-related disciplines.
At JSW Steel, we are committed to enhancing employee well-being through a comprehensive range of social protection benefits that go beyond statutory requirements. Our offerings include a Group Health Insurance Top-Up Policy, which provides additional medical coverage for employees and their families, ensuring access to quality healthcare without financial strain. We also offer Group Term Life Insurance and Group Personal Accident Insurance, covering all on-roll employees, trainees, and probationers, and extending protection to dependent family members in case of natural death or disability. Beyond insurance, we provide non-monetary benefits such as maternity and paternity support, post-retirement benefits, and partial crèche reimbursement facilities.
Security Forces
At JSW Steel, we believe that security forces play an important role in protecting the public and upholding the law. We are committed to ensuring our security forces respect human rights and operate in a manner that is consistent with international and national laws and regulations.
We approach this through the following:
- We conduct regular risk assessments to identify potential threats to the company and employees. These assessments are used to develop and implement security measures to mitigate risks.
- We work closely with both public and private security forces to protect our facilities and employees. We have clear guidelines in place for how we shall interact with the security forces.
- We monitor our security forces to ensure that they are complying with company policies and procedures. This includes monitoring their activities, reviewing their reports, and conducting inspections.
- We also have a grievance mechanism in place for our workforce including security forces. At site level, any grievance can be raised to the site security head followed by the site level HR. The security forces also have access to a third-party managed hotline to reporting any grievances anonymously. A grievance, if found to be of concern after investigation goes to the Chief Ethics Officer and is also reviewed by the JMD/CEO as the final body for reviewing and responding to the grievances.
- We conduct audits and assess the contractors on a regular basis. This includes reviewing the contractors' training, qualifications, and experience. We also have a system in place for monitoring the contractor’s performance.
We believe that these measures will help to ensure that our security forces respect human rights and operate in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws. We are committed to continuous improvement in this area, and we will continue to work with security forces to uphold human rights.
