Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), a prestigious ‘Maharatna’ and Fortune Global 500 Company, inaugurated Vigilance Awareness Week 2024 (VAW-2024) on 28th October at its Corporate Office, reinforcing its commitment to ethical practices and integrity in business. The event, themed “Culture of Integrity for Nation’s Prosperity,” is being observed from October 28 to November 3 across BPCL’s operations nationwide, with a series of activities designed to raise awareness and foster vigilance among all employees.
The inaugural ceremony was led by Chief Guest Shri Dinesh Kumar Jain, Ex-Chief Secretary of Maharashtra and Ex-Member Lokpal, who joined BPCL leadership including Smt. Meenaxi Rawat, IES, Chief Vigilance Officer; Shri V.R.K. Gupta, Director (Finance); Shri Raj Kumar Dubey, Director (HR); Shri S. Srikanth, Chief General Manager (Vigilance), and other senior officials. In a symbolic moment, Smt. Meenaxi Rawat administered the Integrity Pledge, uniting BPCL officials across India through a live webcast to affirm their dedication to honesty and transparency.
In a message to employees, Shri G. Krishnakumar, Chairman and Managing Director, BPCL highlighted Bharat Petroleum’s commitment to ethics, integrity, and accountability, which are fundamental to its operations. He stated that this week serves as a vital reminder of our dedication to fostering a corruption-free workplace. He also lauded Smt Meenaxi Rawat and her vigilance team, for their ongoing dedication to promoting the values of ethics and integrity.
In her address, Smt. Meenaxi Rawat highlighted India’s ranking in the Corruption Perception Index, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement in ethical practices. She referred Ethisphere’s annual rankings, which reveal that ethical companies often outperform the market, a testament to BPCL’s core values of Ethics and Trust. BPCL’s commitment to transparency was evident in the recent integration of all policies and guidelines on a centralized intranet webpage, streamlining access across all business units. Citing the success of the Public Grievance Portal, Smt. Rawat emphasized the importance of a robust complaint-handling system, adding that vigilance is not only a function of vigilance officers but a shared responsibility across BPCL’s workforce.
Chief Guest Shri Dinesh Kumar Jain, in his keynote, elaborated on the foundational values of honesty and integrity. Sharing an anecdote from Sweden involving a Member of Parliament meticulously distinguishing between personal and official expenses, Shri Jain illustrated how simple acts of accountability reinforce integrity. He outlined the formula for understanding corruption as “Corruption equals Monopoly plus Discretion minus Accountability,” highlighting how the Government of India has tackled corruption with measures like Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and faceless Income Tax assessments. Commending BPCL’s Integrity Clubs in schools, he emphasized the value of instilling ethics in young minds.
To mark the occasion, three significant publications were launched: The Vigilance Officer’s Handbook, Do’s & Don’ts Handbook for Officers, and the Vigilance Newsletter, which are expected to enhance vigilance practices within BPCL.
Vigilance Awareness Week 2024 will continue with a series of events and initiatives, aimed at promoting a strong culture of integrity and vigilance across BPCL’s operations, fostering a resilient, transparent corporate ethos for sustainable growth.