Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, today announced that its Al Taweelah site has received certification from the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative for its sustainability practices and performance.
EGA is the first company in the Middle East to achieve a certification to Aluminium Stewardship Initiative standards.
The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative is a global, non-profit standards setting and certification organisation. Its members are mining and metal companies, end-users like Apple and Nespresso, and non-governmental organisations, and it aims to maximise the contribution of aluminium to a sustainable society.
Aluminium Stewardship Initiative certification is the aluminium industry’s internationally-recognised standard for environmental and social performance and governance.
Abdulla Kalban, EGA’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, said: “People around the world are rightly concerned that the products they use every day to make their lives better do not harm other people or the planet. Aluminium Stewardship Initiative certification provides assurance to our customers, in industries from automotive to electronics, that EGA is committed to helping them meet global consumers’ increasing expectations for responsibility. This is an important milestone for EGA and we intend to seek certification for other facilities in the future.”
Fiona Solomon, Chief Executive Officer of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative, said: “ASI congratulates EGA as the first Middle-East-based member to achieve ASI Performance Standard Certification. We are proud to hear how the ASI Certification process has impacted in a positive way on different areas of EGA’s operations, including in relation to biodiversity. It is these kinds of stories of change that underscore the importance of ASI’s work program and remind us why the ASI Standards were developed.”
EGA was the first Middle East headquartered company to apply to join the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative, in December 2017.
The successful certification follows a rigorous independent audit process to assess EGA’s practice and performance at Al Taweelah in relation to environmental, social and governance standards, including biodiversity, human rights, transparency, community engagement, emissions and waste. The certification covers EGA’s aluminium smelting facilities at Al Taweelah in Abu Dhabi, including EGA’s port, power generation, carbon plant, potlines and casthouse.
In 2017 EGA’s first annual sustainability report detailed its environmental and social performance and governance. The report includes disclosures required by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative and was developed in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative standards.
EGA produces more than 1.5 million tonnes of aluminium each year at its Al Taweelah site. The facility was built in two phases. The first phase began production in 2009, with the second phase following in 2013.
EGA supplies aluminium to more than 350 customers in over 60 countries.