FIMI Awards Scheme

BACKGROUND

         In the present world of globalization, no business can achieve the desired results without ensuring economic, social and environment sustainability.  However, unlike other industries that have choice of locating their projects at any geographical location suitable to them, mining industry inevitably has to be where the minerals occur. Therefore, the challenge of following sustainability principles gets significantly magnified and complicated too. This challenge gets further compounded by the fact that most of the mineral bodies are in forest, backward and tribal areas – where economic, social and other infrastructures are conspicuous by their absence. In such settings, mining industry has to take care of many diverse and compelling issues right from conservation of biodiversity, wildlife, environment, etc.

         Mining industry now is resolutely marching towards sustainable mining while performing its dual role of meeting the domestic demand of raw materials as well as of increasing its contribution in the international market.  It is striving hard to acquire the capability to deliver sustainable and responsible economic growth through R&D, productivity enhancement, improved technology and conservation strategies.  The voluntary CSR and community welfare initiatives undertaken by the industry along with the Health & Safety of the stakeholders is well recognized.

         In order to motivate and recognize the efforts of mining industry for having addressed these multi-dimensional issues in an exemplary manner, FIMI instituted FIMI’s Awards Scheme in the year 1990-91 with the support of Ministry of Mines and MOEFCC.

         There are eleven awards in five categories, viz. awards of Excellence, Sustainability, Innovation, Environment, Social Responsibility and Health & Safety which are given annually through a Jury of experts in mining and sustainable development.

         FIMI Awards have unique recognition in the country and are conferred by the Hon’ble Minister of Mines during the Annual General Meeting of FIMI. Each award carries a trophy and a certificate. In particular, the Excellence award was instituted in the year 2004-05 by Shri. G. L. Tandon, the country’s first mining engineer to have been conferred the prestigious Padma Bhushan Award, in memory of his late wife Smt. Bala Gulshan Tandon. This award is designed to recognize excellence in overall mine performance covering economic, social, environmental and health & safety aspects.

CATEGORY OF AWARDS

I.   FIMI EXCELLENCE AWARD – 1 Award

1. Bala Gulshan Tandon Award of Excellence

This award was instituted in 2004-05 by Shri. G. L. Tandon, the country’s first mining engineer to have been conferred the prestigious Padma Bhushan Award, in memory of his wife Smt. Bala Gulshan Tandon. The award is designed to recognize excellence in the overall performance – economic, social, environmental and health & safety of the applicant mine. In the overall scheme of assessment, dimensions which are germane to excellence such as commitment, self-evaluation, transparency, governance etc. are also given due and significant importance.

II. FIMI ESG AWARD – 1 Award  

1. OMC Mining Happiness ESG Award The award is designed to recognize and honour individual mines for their exemplary efforts in the field of environmental, social and corporate governance in mining. This Award has been recently instituted in the year 2023-24 and is open for application to all categories of mines.  

III. FIMI SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS – 2 Awards

1. Tata Steel Award for Sustainable Mining
2. Hindalco – Aditya Birla Award for Sustainable Mining 

The award was instituted in 2017-18 to recognize excellence in biodiversity conservation and sustainability performance of mines. In the overall scheme of assessment, aspects such as business approach towards sustainability, integration of biodiversity with mining, risk assessment, etc. are also given due and significant importance.

IV. FIMI MINING INNOVATION AWARD – 1 Award

1. Vedanta – Sesa Goa Mining Innovation Award

The award is designed to recognize and honour individual mines for their exemplary efforts in the field of innovation in mining. This Award has been recently instituted in 2020-21 and is open for application to all categories of mines.

V.  FIMI ENVIRONMENT AWARDS – 4 Awards

1. Subh Karan Sarawagi Environment Award

2. Abheraj Baldota Environment Award

3. Misrilall Jain Environment Award

4. Gem Granites Environment Award

Mining has a direct implication on the natural environment. Environmental compliance and management therefore play a prominent role in mining activity. In order to encourage mineral conservation, preservation of bio-diversity and maintain ecological balance around mining activity all over the country, FIMI has instituted four Environment Awards. These awards are designed to recognize the mines which have made significant and exemplary efforts towards environmental conservation and management in mines.

VI.   FIMI SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AWARDS – 2 Awards

1. Sita Ram Rungta Award for Social Responsibility  

2. NMDC Award for Social Responsibility

FIMI believes that mere propagation of conventional corporate social responsibility is more like following others. Obtaining social license to operate is a goal that requires leadership. It is a matter of not just following best practices but of innovating to best practices. After all, brand reputation and creation of stable and conducive social environment are needs not only for trade and investment but for better standard and quality of life of all the stakeholders, specially the community around. FIMI, therefore, instituted two Social Responsibility Awards to encourage the leaders to forge ahead and pull up the followers to do better. These two awards are designed to recognize the mines adjudged to have best contributed to the general upliftment and well-being of their various stakeholders while addressing broader sustainability concern.

VII.   FIMI HEALTH & SAFETY AWARDS – 2 Awards

1. Rio Tinto Health & Safety Award

2. Hindustan Zinc Health & Safety Award

Health & safety of workers engaged in mining activities and communities around mines has been getting increasing attention of societies and stakeholders. To specifically attract attention and focused efforts of mining industry towards this important area, FIMI has introduced these Awards to recognize good efforts and initiatives made by the mining industry in taking care of health & safety of their employees and to inspire others to do the same. The ultimate objective of these Awards is to create awareness and implement strategies for improving occupational health & safety management standards so as to focus on development, management and awareness of occupational health & safety by minimizing adverse hazards and risks.

Download Guidelines and Award Application Format for 2022-23

FIMI Award Scheme 2022-23