Anglo American plc has provided an update on its progress towards sustainable mining. The company emphasizes its integrated approach to sustainability in project development, which is aimed at delivering responsible long-term growth in metals and minerals. Anglo American's CEO, Duncan Wanblad, states that sustainability is at the heart of the company's value creation strategy. He acknowledges the challenge of bridging the gap between the increasing demand for mined materials and society's acceptance of the activity required to produce them. The company believes that its experience in delivering improved sustainability outcomes, such as the Quellaveco project, is part of the solution.
Helena Nonka, Strategy & Sustainability Director, highlights the importance of a holistic approach to sustainability in driving commercial and stakeholder value. She emphasizes that societal expectations of the mining industry will continue to increase, and the industry must build greater trust to provide the materials needed for decarbonization and modern life. Tom McCulley, CEO of Anglo American's Crop Nutrients business, emphasizes the need to embed the latest thinking and technologies into safe and sustainable mine designs. He mentions the Woodsmith project as an example of deploying technology and sustainability to set a new benchmark for modern mining.
Alison Atkinson, Projects & Development Director, emphasizes the company's commitment to embedding sustainability considerations into the design, development, and operation of its assets. She mentions the Quellaveco operation in Peru as an example of a fully digital and automated project with innovative water supply designs. Anglo American is also working on other projects, such as the Woodsmith fertiliser project in the UK and the potential Sakatti polymetallic project in Finland, with a focus on minimizing the physical footprint through technology and meeting the expectations of shareholders, stakeholders, and society.
Anglo American is also making progress towards its goal of carbon neutral operations by 2040. The company has reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 21% compared to peak levels in 2019, mainly through the transition to 100% renewable electricity supply in South America. Anglo American is also working on a renewable energy ecosystem in Southern Africa to tackle its remaining Scope 2 emissions. The company aims to halve its Scope 3 emissions by 2040 and is collaborating with steelmaking customers to develop cleaner steelmaking technologies. Anglo American has recently added an agreement with China's Baosteel, one of the world's largest steel producers.
The full Sustainability Performance presentation will be available on the Anglo American website, and a recording will be made available following the presentation.