Parul Verma
Manager - Human Resources
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
An HR professional with over 7+ years of experience, passionate about building workplaces where people feel connected, valued, and empowered. I’ve led large-scale training initiatives, developed learning ecosystems, driven employee engagement & health initiatives, and built HR tech solutions that enhance employee experience.
Participates in
TECHNICAL PROGRAMME | Energy Leadership
Stakeholder Engagement
Forum 31 | Digital Poster Plaza 5
30
April
12:00
14:00
UTC+3
Context and Rationale:
Stakeholder engagement is increasingly recognized as a defining element of responsible business conduct, particularly in industries such as energy, which provide critical benefits to society while simultaneously bearing significant social and environmental footprints. This paper argues that for Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), stakeholder engagement is not merely a compliance exercise but a strategic imperative to secure and sustain its “social licence to operate.” By integrating engagement into its business model, HPCL seeks to balance operational efficiency with social responsibility, thereby contributing to inclusive development and long-term sustainability.
Approach and Evidence:
Drawing upon secondary research on best practices across global and national oil companies, and primary data from HPCL’s initiatives, this paper provides empirical evidence of how structured engagement generates meaningful outcomes. HPCL’s stakeholder segmentation -internal and external guides interventions that span education, healthcare, environment, livelihood, and social inclusion. Programs to support the education of underprivileged children, provide access to life-saving healthcare in underserved regions, enable inclusive opportunities for differently-abled individuals, and create sanitation and hygiene infrastructure exemplify the company’s commitment to addressing critical community needs while fostering equity.
HPCL has also advanced skill-building and employability programs for youth, supported clean energy access for low-income households, and contributed to national sanitation and hygiene missions. These initiatives highlight HPCL’s approach of aligning with national development priorities while ensuring grassroots-level social impact.
Workforce and Partner Engagement:
For business partners and the extended workforce, HPCL implements targeted engagement programs that go beyond transactional relationships. Merit-based educational support for families of contract workers and structured enrollment drives into welfare and social security schemes covering financial inclusion, health coverage, insurance, and pension benefits demonstrate HPCL’s commitment to uplifting the unorganised sector. These initiatives provide empirical evidence of how stakeholder engagement tangibly reduces financial vulnerability, enhances resilience, and promotes social well-being.
Environmental Stewardship:
Environmental stewardship forms another critical dimension. HPCL invests in afforestation, renewable energy solutions, and energy efficiency measures to minimise ecological footprints and mitigate climate risks. Such efforts illustrate the recognition that stakeholder expectations increasingly encompass environmental sustainability and climate action.
Conclusion:
By juxtaposing HPCL’s case illustrations with benchmark practices from across the energy sector, this paper argues that effective stakeholder engagement fosters inclusive growth, strengthens institutional legitimacy, and contributes to long-term business resilience. The findings suggest that engagement initiatives not only meet regulatory and reputational expectations but also generate durable social impact, enhance community trust, and create shared value. The paper concludes that embedding stakeholder engagement into core strategy is essential for energy enterprises seeking to reconcile growth with sustainability and responsibility.
Co-author/s:
Gopi Krishna Morathoti, Deputy General Manager Human Resources, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited.
Stakeholder engagement is increasingly recognized as a defining element of responsible business conduct, particularly in industries such as energy, which provide critical benefits to society while simultaneously bearing significant social and environmental footprints. This paper argues that for Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), stakeholder engagement is not merely a compliance exercise but a strategic imperative to secure and sustain its “social licence to operate.” By integrating engagement into its business model, HPCL seeks to balance operational efficiency with social responsibility, thereby contributing to inclusive development and long-term sustainability.
Approach and Evidence:
Drawing upon secondary research on best practices across global and national oil companies, and primary data from HPCL’s initiatives, this paper provides empirical evidence of how structured engagement generates meaningful outcomes. HPCL’s stakeholder segmentation -internal and external guides interventions that span education, healthcare, environment, livelihood, and social inclusion. Programs to support the education of underprivileged children, provide access to life-saving healthcare in underserved regions, enable inclusive opportunities for differently-abled individuals, and create sanitation and hygiene infrastructure exemplify the company’s commitment to addressing critical community needs while fostering equity.
HPCL has also advanced skill-building and employability programs for youth, supported clean energy access for low-income households, and contributed to national sanitation and hygiene missions. These initiatives highlight HPCL’s approach of aligning with national development priorities while ensuring grassroots-level social impact.
Workforce and Partner Engagement:
For business partners and the extended workforce, HPCL implements targeted engagement programs that go beyond transactional relationships. Merit-based educational support for families of contract workers and structured enrollment drives into welfare and social security schemes covering financial inclusion, health coverage, insurance, and pension benefits demonstrate HPCL’s commitment to uplifting the unorganised sector. These initiatives provide empirical evidence of how stakeholder engagement tangibly reduces financial vulnerability, enhances resilience, and promotes social well-being.
Environmental Stewardship:
Environmental stewardship forms another critical dimension. HPCL invests in afforestation, renewable energy solutions, and energy efficiency measures to minimise ecological footprints and mitigate climate risks. Such efforts illustrate the recognition that stakeholder expectations increasingly encompass environmental sustainability and climate action.
Conclusion:
By juxtaposing HPCL’s case illustrations with benchmark practices from across the energy sector, this paper argues that effective stakeholder engagement fosters inclusive growth, strengthens institutional legitimacy, and contributes to long-term business resilience. The findings suggest that engagement initiatives not only meet regulatory and reputational expectations but also generate durable social impact, enhance community trust, and create shared value. The paper concludes that embedding stakeholder engagement into core strategy is essential for energy enterprises seeking to reconcile growth with sustainability and responsibility.
Co-author/s:
Gopi Krishna Morathoti, Deputy General Manager Human Resources, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited.
