Rio Tinto's ISAL Aluminium Smelter bags ASI Performance Standard Certification with Provisional Status

Aluminium Stewardship Initiative has certified Rio Tinto's ISAL Aluminium Smelter in Iceland (ISAL) against its Performance Standard certification with Provisional Status. Aluminium billets produced at ISAL is destined for use in buildings and construction, automotive, printing, and packaging.

ASI said it certified Rio Tinto's ISAL Smelter for responsible production, sourcing, and stewardship of aluminium. ISAL annually produces around 204,000 tonnes of aluminium with a relatively low carbon footprint based on hydropower. 

The certification is achieved by Rio Tinto under the ASI Interim Policy regarding Audits, Audit-Related Travel and Coronavirus, which clarifies the reasonable accommodations that can be made to audit plans in consideration of the current COVID-19 situation.

Fiona Solomon, Chief Executive Officer at ASI, said: “We warmly congratulate Rio Tinto on achieving ASI Performance Standard Certification with Provisional Status for their ISAL smelting facility. We welcome Rio Tinto’s ongoing commitment to ASI’s mission and their leadership as a founding member. They have played a valuable role in the widespread adoption of our standards across the industry and into downstream aluminium use sectors such as automotive, construction and packaging.”

Rio Tinto chief commercial officer Alf Barrios said, “Expanding our global offering of independently certified, responsibly produced aluminium to include ISAL aligns with our aim to have consistently high ESG credentials across Rio Tinto. This certification can enhance the value ISAL’s high quality billet delivers for customers in European markets, where there is a growing demand for sustainable products across sectors like construction and automotive. We look forward to continuing our partnership with ASI, as we work with customers to offer sustainable products that help them meet consumer expectations.”

The independent, third-party audit of the Rio Tinto facility was carried out by ERM CVS.