COPPER IS CRUCIAL FOR ENERGY TRANSITION IN GERMANY:
The Copper Mark supports German industry in responsible sourcing
20 August 2024 – Copper is essential for Germany’s shift to sustainable energy. The red metal is the foundation for wind turbines, solar panels, power grids, and electric vehicles. The German industry faces the challenge of achieving the much-needed energy transition while ensuring responsible copper sourcing. As the leading global assurance framework promoting responsible practices across the copper value chain, The Copper Mark supports the German industry in achieving this ambitious goal. More and more German companies are embracing this.
As the metal of the energy transition, demand for copper will only increase further in the future. Driven by governments’ sustainability goals, the International Energy Agency forecasts global copper demand to rise from 26 million tons annually today to 40 million tons by 2040 – 2050.
More than a third of all globally mined copper now originates from sites that have received The Copper Mark. Sites currently participating in the assurance process represent an additional 10% of global production. Participants include mines, smelters, and semi-fabricators in the copper value chain. Since late 2022, nickel, zinc, and molybdenum have also been incorporated into the assurance framework using the same standards and assurance process.
Leading European Multimetal producer Aurubis is key supporter
Aurubis AG, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, is the biggest copper producer in Europe and an important processor and leading supplier to the automotive industry. The company is a prominent supporter of The Copper Mark. By the end of 2024 all major smelter sites of Aurubis hope to have been awarded The Copper Mark. The Aurubis sites in Hamburg and Lünen, Germany, as well as the Pirdop site in Bulgaria and Olen in Belgium have already received the distinction. The Stolberg site in Germany and the Beerse site in Belgium are currently going through the process.
Aurubis has served on the Copper Mark Advisory Council since 2020 and is a key advocate for The Copper Mark within their value chain. For example, Aurubis recently signed a collaboration agreement with the world’s largest copper producer Codelco to drive innovation for sustainability in the copper industry. As part of the agreement both companies agreed to exchange experience related to their mutual participation in The Copper Mark, in order to balance the needs of the environment and the people along the supply chain.
“We see The Copper Mark as the standard for sustainability and supply chain integrity in the copper industry. Being part of The Copper Mark, is a testament to our ongoing commitment to sustainability and responsible production. It assures our stakeholders of our dedication to environmental and social standards,” stated Roland Harings, CEO of Aurubis AG. “Independent third-party assessments of our ESG performance at each site provide the assurance of our high and holistic production standards to our partners and offers valuable suggestions for improvement, which we implement through concrete action plans.”
Major German brands endorse responsible sourcing principles
The Copper Mark also offers a partner category for end-users who proactively endorse the principles of responsible sourcing of copper, molybdenum, nickel, and zinc. In Germany, companies like Audi, Janoschka, Leoni, Kablan, LAPP, Siemens Energy and Wieland Group have already committed to these principals.
Michèle Brülhart, Executive Director of The Copper Mark, stated: “It’s important to recognize that the value of The Copper Mark extends throughout the entire value chain and is increasingly acknowledged by customers. This is evidenced by the steady increase in partners publicly supporting our organization, including an increasing number of major German companies. Over 40 well-known global brands now publicly support The Copper Mark’s objectives.”
Examples of on-site impact of The Copper Mark
– Prohibition, prevention and remedy of child and forced labor;
– Freedom of association and collective bargaining;
– Reduction in carbon emissions through stringent monitoring and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions;
– Reduction of water consumption through improved water management practices.
German Supply Chain Act (Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz)
The Copper Mark includes the Joint Due Diligence Standard. Participants are also required to comply with this. The Joint Due Diligence Standard and its implementation have been independently assessed as being ‘fully aligned’ with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance. It means The Copper Mark Joint Due Diligence Standard can not only be used by sites to meet market expectations but, when it comes to raw material value chains, also provide a robust foundation to support compliance with supply chain due diligence regulations such as the German Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz (LkSG). According to this law businesses in Germany must conduct due diligence on all stages of their supply chain regarding certain human rights and environmental requirements (decent wages, workplace safety, availability of drinking water etc.).
As the LkSG focuses not only on supply chain due diligence, but also on the establishment of human rights risk management in companies’ own operations, the Copper Mark is a useful tool for participants. Through third-party assessments of their management systems in place, the resulting corrective action plans can help to structure and strengthen companies’ compliance strategies.
This in turn helps companies in the scope of the law to recognise the efforts made by their raw material suppliers and to take The Copper Mark award into account in risk assessments.
About The Copper Mark
The Copper Mark is the leading independent assurance framework that promotes responsible practices in the copper, molybdenum, nickel and zinc industries, focusing on environmental protection, social responsibility, and corporate governance. Through its assurance process, The Copper Mark empowers companies to demonstrate their commitment to responsible practices and accountability. The Copper Mark explicitly targets the entire value chain. Producers in mining, smelting/refining and manufacturing can apply for the Copper Mark, the Molybdenum Mark, the Nickel Mark and/or the Zinc Mark by meeting the responsible production and sourcing criteria as defined in the Risk Assessment (RRA) Criteria Guide jointly issued by The Copper Mark and the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI). In total, this covers 33 different criteria, independently assessed on site by third parties.
This press release is sent to you by Bureau van Sintnicolaas, the media relations agency of The Copper Mark. For questions, please contact us by email or phone, tilly@bureausintnicolaas.nl or +31 703851802.