Rusal Wins Sustainability Competition

Rusal won the title of Russia’s most effective company when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions. The annual “Climate and Responsibility – 2019” competition is supported by the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation, and aims to recognise Russian companies for their active efforts to mitigate climate change.

Greenhouse gas reduction has been one of Rusal’s strategic objectives for over a decade with the company launching climate action initiatives domestically and internationally. Since 2007 Rusal’s efforts to limit its impact on the environment have been framed by its Safe Future initiative which led the company to achieve a 53 per cent overall reduction it total direct GHGs emissions from existing smelters in 2014.

“The carbon footprint of Rusal’s aluminium is one of the lowest in the world, which is a result of the company’s long-term strategy in its commitment to climate change. We plan on continuing to focus on this area, primarily by increasing the share of products with a minimum carbon footprint in our portfolio. This is the future not only of the aluminium industry, but of the entire global industry,” commented Rusal’s CEO Evgenii Nikitin.

Rusal’s current goal is to reduce direct specific GHGs emissions by 15 per cent for all aluminium smelters. The company started applying internal carbon prices to all its strategic and investment decisions. Moreover, the company is participating in Russia’s historically biggest reforestation programme to plant more than one million trees.

Currently, over 90 per cent of Rusal’s aluminium is produced using environmentally friendly hydroelectric power. The company is also at an advanced stage to introduce inert anodes technology that will allow producing carbon-free aluminium. Moreover, Rusal has also developed a low-carbon brand ALLOW that is produced with a carbon footprint of 4 metric tons of CO2 or less thanks to hydropower energy used at its smelters in Siberia.

Earlier this month, En+ Group – Rusal’s parent company – announced that it joined the UN Global Compact’s Business Ambition for 1.5°C movement. Member companies of this international environmental partnership commit themselves to reaching science-based emissions reduction targets and establishing a global net-zero carbon economy.