EGA hosts training session by Aluminium Stewardship Initiative for its downstream consumers

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the largest aluminium producer in the Middle East is supporting the downstream consumers of its metal to engage with the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative.

The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative is a global, non-profit standards setting and certification organisation for the aluminium supply chain, which aims to maximise the contribution of aluminium to a sustainable society. Participating in the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative enables aluminium sector companies to benchmark and improve their sustainability performance.

EGA hosted a training session conducted by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative on how to participate in the program. Eight UAE downstream aluminium companies that make aluminium parts for the local and international automotive to construction sector attended the session.

Salman Abdulla, EGA’s Executive Vice President of Environment, Health, Safety, Sustainability and Quality said: “In addition to being the right thing to do for society, we expect strong sustainability performance to become increasingly a source of competitive advantage in the aluminium industry and ultimately an absolute requirement for many end-users. We encourage UAE aluminium companies to participate in the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative.”

Fiona Solomon, CEO of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), said: “EGA’s leadership in the Middle East on sustainability issues has been demonstrated through their early and ongoing commitment to ASI.  Their support for this months’ training session enables us to collectively share the intent and benefit of the ASI program, and support local uptake through peer learning.  We are delighted to partner with EGA to build further outreach in the UAE”.

EGA became the first Middle East company to join the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative in 2017. In May, 2019, EGA’s Al Taweelah site was certified against the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative Performance Standard, the first of its kind in the Middle East. An independent audit process assessed EGA’s practice and performance at Al Taweelah in relation to environmental, social and governance standards before the certification. The certification covered EGA’s aluminium smelting operations at Al Taweelah, including EGA’s port, power generation, carbon plant, potlines and casthouse.