Paris, November 30, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
Biodiversity: Eramet's environmental commitments recognized by act4nature
Act4nature’s multi-stakeholder steering committee has validated Eramet’s biodiversity policy commitments.
- the Group's biodiversity commitments have been recognized as being SMART by the act4nature steering committee, following a process of consultation with its network of environmental NGOs, scientific bodies and committed companies
- This membership process is part of the Group's biodiversity policy as set out in its CSR roadmap (2018-2023)
“As a socially responsible mining company we are fully aware of the impact of our activities on biodiversity. Preserving biodiversity is more than a pledge, it is part of our strategy: we incorporate this principle into all our projects, and we act according to a simple motto: avoid-reduce-rehabilitate-offset.
Joining the act4nature initiative has further strengthened our CSR approach and reinforced our mining model. The recognition of our commitments by NGOs and scientific experts is the result of extensive work carried out at all the Group's sites over the last three years to achieve the thirteen objectives set out in our CSR roadmap for 2018-2023.”
Christel Bories, Eramet Group Chair and CEO
Act4nature international is a voluntary biodiversity alliance directed at French companies operating internationally, which was launched by a French association, Entreprises pour l'Environnement (EpE). At the end of 2021, 13 new partners were recognized as being SMART, bringing the number of companies involved in the initiative to 57.
By joining act4nature, Eramet subscribes to 10 shared principles and thus commits to applying a range of SMART standards in its business operations.
This is the first time that a panel of environmental NGOs and scientific bodies has recognized the Group's commitments to biodiversity, an acknowledgment that reinforces its CSR approach, as the Group strives to become a reference for the responsible transformation of the Earth's mineral resources, for living well together, as reflected in its corporate purpose, enshrined in its statutes this year.
Aware of the urgent plight of our planet, Eramet's day-to-day activities are geared to ensuring the sustainability of plant and animal species and their habitats.
As part of its CSR roadmap, the Group is committed to "protecting water resources and accelerating the rehabilitation of its mining sites by promoting biodiversity". The Group's Biodiversity Policy, which was drafted in 2014, is one of the commitments contained in its Environmental Responsibility Policy (updated in 2020).
| 1.03 The ratio of rehabilitated areas to cleared areas in 2020 | 90% of the water flowing through our facilities is returned to the environment without being altered or coming into contact with our products |
Eramet's voluntary avoidance commitments include banning the disposal of mine tailings at sea and pushing for a regulatory ban on this method, particularly in as regards regulations for electric vehicle batteries.
To limit the impact on biodiversity, a specific initiative dealing with this issue has been fully incorporated into the activities of each of the Group's mining and industrial sites. Characterization studies are regularly conducted to collect as much information as possible about local biodiversity, as well as usages and ecosystem services. These studies are entrusted to national and international specialists and experts, including specialized firms, public institutes, universities and NGOs. The risks and impacts of activities on biodiversity are studied and preservation actions are defined accordingly. As part of this process, all sites have a water management plan and a monitoring system for the progress made in the rehabilitation of land that has been cleared. In addition to any rehabilitation work, ecological restoration actions are also carried out.
Similarly, when a new mining site or extension project is being launched, meticulous preparatory work is carried out in order to put in place an appropriate mitigation strategy. The main steps in this strategy are generally as follows:
- avoid negative impacts on biodiversity
- reduce the impact to shorten the duration, intensity and extent of any impacts
- rehabilitate the sites, in particular by prioritizing the reintroduction of endemic species
- offset any significant residual impacts
Thus, at the SLN in New Caledonia, in order to revegetate the Kouaoua mine, endemic species are reintroduced after having been grown in local nurseries.
Finally, initiatives to promote biodiversity are being carried out among employees and in the community as a whole. In 2021, the Group created the Lékédi Biodiversity Foundation in Gabon to study, raise awareness and protect Gabon's biodiversity and support research projects.
Calendar
February 23, 2022: Publication of the Group's 2021 annual results
April 28, 2022: Publication of the Group's First Quarter 2022 revenue
Eramet transforms the Earth’s mineral resources to provide sustainable and responsible solutions to the growth of the industry and to the challenges of the energy transition.
Its 13,000 employees are committed to this through their civic and contributory approach in all the countries where the mining and metallurgical group is present.
Manganese, nickel, mineral sands, lithium, and cobalt: Eramet recovers and develops metals that are essential to the construction of a more sustainable world.
As a privileged partner of its industrial clients, the Group contributes to making robust and resistant infrastructures and constructions, more efficient means of mobility, safer health tools and more efficient telecommunications devices.
Fully committed to the era of metals, Eramet’s ambition is to become a reference for the responsible transformation of the Earth’s mineral resources for living well together.
www.eramet.com
INVESTOR CONTACT
Director of Investor Relations
Sandrine Nourry-Dabi
T. +33 1 45 38 37 02
sandrine.nourrydabi@eramet.com
| PRESS CONTACT Communications Director Pauline Briand pauline.briand@eramet.com Image 7 Marie Artzner T. +33 1 53 70 74 31 | M. +33 6 75 74 31 73 martzner@image7.fr |
Attachment
