MSPL Limited: CSR and Sustainability in Mining

MSPL Limited was an iron ore mining and processing company in India. Owned by the Baldota Group, it also had interests in shipping, pelleting, and wind energy. In January 2012, MSPL’s businesses and operations were headed by Narendrakumar A. Baldota and his two sons. MSPL’s main source of revenue, the Vyasankere Iron Ore Mine (VIOM), was one of the largest iron ore mines in the private sector in India. MSPL had been progressive and proactive in its approach to sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Many of its initiatives predated government legislation related to environmental, employee, and community issues. MSPL’s policies towards environmental issues and local communities had been driven by the beliefs and vision of its founder and chairman, Baldota’s father. Baldota expanded MSPL’s initiatives related to the environment, employees, and communities. The case deals with the choices and decisions that Baldota had made regarding the numerous CSR and sustainability initiatives undertaken by the organization. Were there other initiatives that MSPL should have undertaken? Was it even necessary for the company to carry out CSR activities in the local communities?

Some of the case learning objectives are as follows:<ul><li>To identify the risks associated with mining activities to the environment, employees, and communities and discuss how these risks might be mitigated.</li><li>To illustrate the kinds of interventions that may be undertaken by a mining company to protect and benefit the environment, employees, and communities. The case illustrates how successive interventions are made in light of issues that arise during operations; how the introduction of technology might mitigate the environmental damage caused by a company or mitigate health hazards to employees; and how observation of human behaviour might be used to devise interventions to help reduce accidents.</li><li>To express the importance of articulating the needs of stakeholders in a manner such that they are congruent with the CSR orientation of an organization; and to show how stakeholders’ demands cannot all be met.</li>

• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Sustainability
• Stakeholders
• Mining
• Natural Resources
• India