Alba launches its second ESG Campaign 'Shaping Our Future'

Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), one of the world’s leading smelters in Sustainable Development, launched its second plant-wide Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) Awareness Campaign “Shaping Our Future” today Sunday 24 October 2021.

Alba’s Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali kick-started this Campaign with a virtual keynote that highlighted the Company’s progress and adaptability in respect to ESG as well as the integration of Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 Objectives and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into Alba’s 5-year strategy.

Speaking on this occasion, CEO Ali Al Baqali said:

“To anchor sustainability at the heart of Alba, we have linked ESG in every aspect of our operations; this was also underlined in our Mission on how to remain competitive while charting a path to greater economic and social well-being.

This Campaign is a progression of our first campaign ‘Achieving the Balance’ which was held in June 2021 through which we aim to address various topics to be the ESG change we want to see in the world.”

Concluding on 04 November 2021, the Campaign will feature more than 20 informative sessions by employees from across the plant, delivered via a hybrid approach – virtual and in person – and touch upon numerous ESG topics, including Carbon Footprint, Cyber Security, Industry 4.0, Safety as a Social Responsibility, and Water Management among many others.

Correspondingly, as part of this Campaign, Alba extended its green initiatives beyond its premises to plant more trees on the main roads around the smelter, thus joining the National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD) "Forever Green" Campaign being held under the patronage of HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, Wife of His Majesty the King and President of NIAD Consultative Council.

To-date, the Company is on course with its ‘Safety Excellence’ journey by topping more than 17.5 million safe working-hours.

-Ends-

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

[Ticker: ALBH] 

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