The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) announced earlier this month that Emirates Global Aluminium’s Al Taweelah alumina refinery has been certified under its Performance Standard V2 (2017). This certification means that the entirety of EGA’s global operations are now certified under ASI’s standards.
EGA notes that its refinery is amongst the lowest greenhouse gas emitters among worldwide alumina smelters. In addition, EGA has implemented responsible disposal processes for bauxite ore residue, including by reusing it as manufactured soil.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said in a press release that his company is thrilled that its entire operations are certified under sustainability standards.
“Aluminium has an essential role to play in the development of a more sustainable society, and it also matters how sustainably aluminium is made. Certification to the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative’s Performance Standard is a transparent and independent verification of our commitment to sustainability, and I am proud all EGA’s operational assets are now certified. Our next goal is to start producing ASI-certified metal during next year, and to produce only ASI-certified metal by 2030.”
ASI’s Performance Standard is the product of consultations with a multitude of stakeholders throughout the aluminium value chain, which ASI asserts is the sole comprehensive voluntary sustainability standard initiative in the aluminium sector. The standard defines 59 criteria categorized in three sustainability pillars that cover several issues, including biodiversity, Indigenous Peoples rights, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Fiona Solomon, Chief Executive Officer of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative, said that achieving full ASI certification is a major accomplishment.
“We warmly congratulate EGA on achieving Performance Standard certification at now all of its global operations. In 2019, EGA became the first company in the Middle East to achieve an Aluminium Stewardship Initiative Performance Standard certification, for its Al Taweelah smelter in the UAE. More recently, EGA’s subsidiary Guinea Alumina Corporation led the way by achieving the first certification of bauxite mining in Africa for their operations in Guinea, a country with globally important bauxite reserves and also one where the industry’s commitment to sustainability is tested. EGA’s pursuit of certifying all its global operations underscores the relevance and applicability of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative Performance Standard in diverse operational landscapes and reinforces the Standard’s role in fostering responsible practices throughout the entire aluminium value chain.”
Based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Emirates Global Aluminium is an aluminium conglomerate created by the merger between Dubai Aluminium (DUBAL) and Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) in 2013. EGA had an estimated enterprise value of US$15 billion at the time the merger took place. The firm is owned equally by Mubadala Development Company of Abu Dhabi and Investment Corporation of Dubai. Emirates Global Aluminium holds interests in bauxite/alumina and primary aluminium smelting.
The ASI is a worldwide organization dedicated to setting industrial standards and certifications in the aluminium industry. The association brings together the various stakeholders in the aluminium industry in order to achieve objectives including sustainable production methods, material chain-of-custody procedures, recycling, social impacts related to aluminium production, and production standards.