Aurubis awarded platinum status for sustainability by EcoVadis

Aurubis AG has further improved its CSR ranking issued by EcoVadis. With 73 of 100 points in the assessment, the company was distinguished with the platinum status for the first time. Aurubis thus belongs to the top one percent of companies in the global non-ferrous metals industry.

Ecological, social, and ethical performance – or sustainability – is a key factor for forward-looking companies today. EcoVadis assesses companies in accordance with environmental, labor, and human rights criteria, as well as ethics and sustainable sourcing. Key positive factors contributing to Aurubis’ rating included its implementation of a stringent Sustainability Strategy as part of its corporate strategy and its regular publication of its progress in a detailed Sustainability Report and a Non-Financial Report that is evaluated by external auditors. The internationally recognized standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) serve as the foundation. The Sustainability Report simultaneously serves as the Communication on Progress for the UN Global Compact (UNGC).

This very good result underlines Aurubis’ sustainability approach, which is reflected in a variety of measures. These include initiatives for occupational safety management and CO2 reduction. The company is committed to the Science Based Targets initiative, setting ambitious science-based targets to reduce CO2 emissions. Various projects to reduce CO2 have already been initiated, such as testing the use of hydrogen in copper production and constructing a photovoltaic plant with 10 MW total output at the site in Pirdop (Bulgaria). Aurubis’ copper cathodes already have a significantly lower CO2 footprint than the global industry average. This is confirmed by the last rating from the CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), an A-.

With regard to ethics criteria, the MDAX-listed company issues extensive policies such as a Code of Conduct, but also internal guidelines on compliance and other topics, and is a member of the German Corporate Governance Code. Aurubis introduced a Business Partner Code of Conduct for its business partners and carries out risk analyses that take the fulfillment of social and environmental standards into consideration.

Furthermore, in 2020 Aurubis successfully placed an ESG-linked (environmental, social, and corporate governance) Schuldschein loan – the first European company in the basic materials industry to do so – for € 400 million. The conditions of the loan are tied to the EcoVadis rating.

“The platinum status distinction from EcoVadis is great news and an affirmation for the entire company. It proves that Aurubis operates one of the most efficient and sustainable smelter networks worldwide,” asserts Aurubis AG CEO Roland Harings. He emphasizes, “Our technology and metals are needed for a sustainable future – Aurubis is clearly part of the solution. As a result, it’s a matter of course for us to regularly have our standards and initiatives evaluated by recognized organizations in accordance with a variety of criteria so that we achieve steady improvements in our responsible business activities.”

EcoVadis has assessed more than 75,000 companies since its founding in 2007. The assessment concentrates on 21 criteria based on international CSR standards such as the Global Compact principles, the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, the ISO 26000 standard, and the CERES principles. Additional information is available at www.ecovadis.com.

The full Aurubis Sustainability Report 2019/20 with additional information can be downloaded at www.aurubis.com/en/sustainabilityreport.