Materials technology provider Umicore has been named one of the top 10 most sustainable companies for the second year in a row by independent magazine, Corporate Knights.
Parent company of Imperial Smelting and Refining in Markham, Ont., Umicore is the only Belgian company to appear on the ‘Global 100 Most Sustainable Companies’ list. The ranking is based on key performance indicators, such as capacity to innovate, diversity, and productivity related to a set of environmental factors.
“The inclusion of Umicore in these rankings and indices is recognition that our strategy and business philosophy do meaningfully address the priorities of society today,” said Umicore chief executive officer (CEO), Marc Grynberg.
“We have a strong focus on products and services that provide environmental benefits, such as recycling, automotive catalysts, and materials for rechargeable batteries. This is complemented by ambitious objectives to further improve our environmental and social performance.”
The news comes following the company’s inclusion on the Green Index for its role in the metal recycling chain and the development of materials for clean energy applications. The index is an initiative launched by World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Living Planet Fund Management Co., and Chevreux.
In other company news, Umicore subsidiary Allgemeine Gold-und Silberscheideanstalt AG—headquarters of the jewellery and industrial metals business unit under which Imperial falls—received certification by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC).
“Sustainability, integrity, and respect of the law are indispensable essentials of Allgemeine’s business strategy and practice worldwide in all sites and regions,” said company CEO, Dietmar Becker.
“The RJC’s Code of Practices represents a complete view on all relevant business processes from human resources to finance and from sales and supply to operations. In its clear ethical approach, it perfectly adds to our internal Umicore group Code of Conduct. We, therefore, feel honoured and proud of achieving the highly regarded RJC certificate.”
