Alba releases its 2020 Sustainability Report

Manama :  Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C (Alba), the world’s largest aluminium smelter ex-China, unveiled its fifth edition of the Sustainability Report which was prepared in accordance with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards: Core Option. In the 2020 edition of the Sustainability Report, Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) has provided independent limited assurance on Alba’s Sustainability Report’s compliance with the GRI Standards and on the preparation of 3 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Total Indirect Energy Consumption (GJ), Total Direct Energy Consumption (GJ) and Environmental Investment (BD).

Alba’s 2020 Sustainability Report ‘Building the New Norm As We Celebrate Alba Golden Jubilee of Operations’ provides detailed insights on the environmental and socio-economic performance as well as sustainability initiatives that have been implemented across Alba’s operations for the period 01 January to 31 December 2020.

Commenting on the 2020 Sustainability Report, Alba’s Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali said:

“Communicating what we do is what makes us strong. Reporting on our ESG performance is our way of sharing with our various stakeholders what really matters for Alba.

Alba was one of the earliest companies in the Middle East region to voluntarily disclose its ESG performance through its first Sustainability Report in 2016. This speaks volumes about the high standards of transparency and governance we have been practicing in all our disclosures.

We are also pleased to scale to a higher standard in reporting on ESG considerations with our latest Report.”

It's worth noting that 2020 Sustainability Report was also reviewed by GRI Content Index – Corporate Core Option.

-Ends- 

About Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) 

Alba is the world’s largest aluminium smelter ex-China with a production of more than 1.548 million metric tonnes per annum (mtpa) (2020). With a dual listing on Bahrain Bourse and London Stock Exchange, the Company’s shareholders are Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company B.S.C. © (69.38%), SABIC Industrial Investment Company (SIIC) (20.62%) and General Public (10%).

In addition to molten metal, our diverse Value-Added Product (VAP) portfolio includes Foundry grade re-melt products (T-Ingots, Standard Ingots and Properzi Bars), Rolling Ingots (Slabs), Extrusion Ingots (Billets) and Unalloyed P1020 re-melt products. Around 79% of our products - from customised alloys to a variety of surface finishes -- are exported to more than 150 global customers through our sales offices in Europe, Asia, Singapore, and subsidiary office in the U.S.

Alba Campus comprises six Reduction Lines, three Power Stations, four Casthouses, four Carbon Plants along with other ancillary facilities. In addition to primary aluminium production, we also produce 530,000 mtpa of high-quality calcined petroleum coke at our own dedicated Coke Calcining Plant. Alba also yields 9.5 million cubic metres of potable water per annum from its dedicated seawater desalination plant.

Alba has carved an enviable reputation in Safety, Environment and Health, Sustainability and Quality Management. It is one of the few smelters in the world to have achieved Zero Lost Time Injuries (LTI) in 2019. Alba was recognized during 2020 with five categories of National Safety Council (NSC) awards - USA and Gold Medal Health and Safety Award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) – UK. Alba was also awarded with the International Safety Award from British Safety Council (BSC) – UK in March 2021.

Alba brings value to its customers with the many globally-recognised certifications such as ISO 9001, ISO 45001, ISO 14001 and ISO 27001. Moreover, the Company attained the significant Automotive Quality Management System - IATF 16949 in 2018 and, Bronze Medal by EcoVadis and Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Performance Certification in 2020.

Alba is committed to fostering greater sustainability across all our operations. In line with its CSR initiatives, Alba set-up the Region’s first-of-its-kind Spent Pot Lining (SPL) Treatment Plant in cooperation with Bahrain’s Supreme Council for Environment in 2019 to create a sustainable solution for the treatment of SPL with zero-waste. In 2020, Alba inaugurated its Fish Farm Project in collaboration with the Bahrain National Guard Consumer Association, thus boosting the Kingdom’s aquaculture and enriching the biodiversity around Alba’s operations.

Starting out in 1971 as a 120,000 mtpa smelter, Alba has continually delivered value to its customers, shareholders, and stakeholders. As we mark the Golden Jubilee of operations in 2021, we aspire to be more productive, innovative, and sustainable. For more information on Alba, please visit www.albasmelter.com  

Alba External Grievance Mechanism

Alba’s External Grievance Mechanism receives and facilitates the resolution of any affected communities’ concerns and grievances about Alba’s Environment and Social (E&S) performance. External grievances about Alba’s E&S performance can be logged via the Alba Integrity Line - an independently operated confidential reporting hotline in multiple languages - via a toll-free phone system or via the intranet 24 hours a day,

Alba’s External Grievance Mechanism is in line with Performance Standards of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a World Bank affiliated lending organisation.

Alba Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 was a year like no other and as one of Bahrain’s leading industrial companies, Alba’s response strategy to COVID-19 was initiated since January 2020 and was based on the guidelines of Bahrain National Taskforce for Combating Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Alba’s Executive team adapted an interactive approach from creating personal video messages, visiting shop-floor areas and engaging in virtual daily briefings with its Healthcare Centre team. Alba Management announced work-from-home and reduced working-hours where applicable especially for the female staff, and actioned plant-wide temperature checks for all shifts; social distancing protocols in offices, shop-floor areas and transport vehicles; frequent sanitization of all operational and non-operational areas; distribution of protective kits; installation of hand sanitizer dispensers across the Company and posted multilingual posters in various areas.

Despite COVID-19 outbreak, Alba continued to maintain stable operations thanks to its Business Continuity Plan and Emergency Preparedness Plan and sent-out few Letters of Assurance on Safe operations at Alba to all its stakeholders (customers, suppliers, and regulators) during 2020.

Alba, the Safety of our people – employees and contractors’ workers – always comes First. Whilst we continue to follow COVID-19 measures at all times, we remain focused on Safety, Efficient Operations and Lean Cost Structure.

For further details, please contact:
Eline Hilal
Director, Investor Relations, Insurance & Corporate Secretary
Investor Relations Department
Tel:         (973) 1783 5100
E-mail:    eline.hilal@alba.com.bh
Website: www.albasmelter.com
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© Press Release 2021