“ It ’ s definitely in a broader lens than just the carbon footprint . The second area is this increasingly regulated space around supply chain and environmental due diligence , which has received a lot more attention as companies face specific expectations from the market and regulatory side .”
She says there is a large proportion in the middle of the industry who are unaware of the requirements , and who may have a “ slightly longer journey ahead of them ”. However , there are leading companies too , such as Glencore , which have yet to sign up .
“ There is clearly a need to demonstrate responsible practices to support the energy transition – and as much as there is an increase in demand , there is also an increase in demand for responsibly produced materials , so the two go hand in hand , and that ’ s ultimately why the Copper Mark exists ,” she says .
“ The commitment from Codelco to our framework is indicative of a wider trend we are seeing from copper producers , who are responding to ESG demand from investors and customers to adopt more responsible production practices that we expect to continue to grow as part of the shift towards creating a greener economy . There is far more acceptance that this is a required set of practices , as opposed to a ‘ nice to have ’.”
Green innovation propelling mining transformation While the mining sector has already begun making progress towards a greener mining industry , this cannot be done without investment , according to Lord Ashbourne , Director of Energy Resources at Edison Group . miningdigital . com 63