Sustainability network for mining and steel
This network enables mining, iron and steel companies to advance co-operation and share experiences linked to sustainability issues. The network is jointly co-ordinated by Jernkontoret, Svemin and the Swedish Association of Industrial Employers.
Sustainable development is a key concept relating to ecological, social and economic sustainability, including respect for human rights and a strategy to combat corruption.
Sustainability reporting is carried out by many of the larger mining and steel companies. Operations such as those of SSAB, Boliden and Outokumpu are reported according to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and are externally reviewed. There are also several other standards, codes of conduct and so on that companies follow and that relate to human rights, anti-corruption etc.
The EU’s annual financial statements directive (2013/34/EU), which applies to companies’ reporting on sustainability and diversity policy, is important in this context. It essentially means that large companies and public-interest entities must draw up sustainability reports and that certain listed companies shall submit information on their diversity policy in the corporate governance report.
Sustainability is moving from mere reporting to assuming a more strategic role in business development. In many of the steel companies, the organisation of sustainability work is also in process of change. All this serves as the starting point for the mining and metallurgy network, and those industry organisations established during 2014.
The task of the mining and steel sustainability network is to:
- promote contacts between sustainability managers.
- communicate what steps are being taken within companies and industrial sectors respectively.
- to be a place for sharing of best practices, to increase understanding and to improve external monitoring of trends as well as national and international advocacy work.
- to serve as a collective voice for the steel and mining industry in respect of sustainability issues.
The network is co-ordinated jointly by Jernkontoret, Svemin and the Swedish Association of Industrial Employers.
