Anglo American launches ambitious Sustainability Strategy

One of the world’s leading mining companies has unveiled its innovative and ambitious sustainability strategy.

Anglo American launched its Sustainability Strategy this week, approaching three major issues of sustainability; the environment community development and driving greater trust and transparency across the mining industry.

The company also outlined key specific goals that it aims to achieve by 2030, as it looks to change the perception of sustainability across the industry.

The strategy is focused on three global sustainability pillars – Healthy Environment, Thriving Communities, and Trusted Corporate Leader – each encompassing three global stretch goals.

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Anglo American has chosen deliberately ambitious goals, designed to challenge our business to innovate and change, mobilising its people and resources to deliver them by 2030.

These goals include:

• Creating five jobs off-site for every job on-site in our host communities;
• Working with government to ensure every school in our host communities performs amongst the top 20% of state schools in the country;
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30%;
• Improving energy efficiency by 30%; and
• Reducing freshwater abstraction by 50% in water-scarce regions.

Mark Cutifani, Chief Executive of Anglo American, said: “Our metals and minerals are the precious ingredients that enable and celebrate so many aspects of our modern lives. But our role in today’s world is far greater than simply as a supplier of physical products. If Anglo American is to play its part in creating a sustainable future for the world and improving the lives of all of us who live here, then we must be prepared to challenge our business and ourselves, by re-imagining mining.”

“Delivering on these commitments will transform the way Anglo American does business. Keeping our people and the environment safe, supporting excellent education, and using our unique approach of collaborative regional development to further enhance our ability to provide truly sustainable benefits for our host communities present a different picture of the future of mining.

“The financial benefits to our business by 2030 are expected to be significant, including from substantially reduced energy and water costs. At the same time, we expect our innovative approach and the technologies we are developing to open up new mineral resource opportunities for us over the medium term”