Diversified major Rio Tinto said on Monday that its ISAL smelter, in Iceland, had been certified by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) for meeting the highest internationally recognised standards for responsible aluminium production.
ISAL achieved ASI performance standard certification with provisional status, following an independent, third party ‘desktop’ audit by ERM CVS. An on-site audit would be completed once Covid-19 travel restrictions were eased, the company stated.
Rio Tinto is a founding member of ASI and is the first company to offer ASI aluminium in 2018.
“Expanding our global offering of independently certified, responsibly produced aluminium to include ISAL aligns with our aim to have consistently high ESG [environmental, social and governance] credentials across Rio Tinto.
“This certification can enhance the value ISAL’s high-quality billet delivers for customers in European markets, where there is a growing demand for sustainable products across sectors like construction and automotive,” said Rio Tinto chief commercial officer Alf Barrios.
Rio Tinto threatened to close the ISAL aluminium smelter last year, alleging abuse of market dominance by local energy supplier Landsvirkjun. The company at the beginning of this year reached a new power deal, allowing the operation to continue to operate.