Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
The recycling industry is a major contributor to sustainable business practices – there are many benefits to recycling electrical and electronic waste such as computer peripherals, medical equipment and small domestic appliances. Sims Metal Management Limited, parent company of Sims Recycling Solutions also has a corporate commitment to sustainability, evidenced by Sims featuring in the top 100 most sustainable corporations at the 2011 World Economic Forum for the third year running.
Recycling is one of the primary ways in which economies can reduce their energy output and carbon emissions. E-recycling preserves scarce natural resources, saves water, reduces pollution and dependence on landfill.
Output from Sims Recycling Solutions centres contributed to Sims Metal Management's handling of over 14.3 million tonnes of ferrous and non ferrous materials during fiscal year 2010/2011. The use of these materials, as opposed to virgin materials, saved enough CO2 to offset the carbon footprints of almost 3.3 million people. (Based on the fact that the world average CO2 emissions are just under 4.5 tonnes per person).
Sims Metal Management Limited has a corporate commitment to measure and report our sustainability performance in the following areas:
- Energy Use
- CO2 Emissions
- Water Use
- Waste Generation
- Key Health and Safety Indicators
- Employee Retention
- Employee Diversity
- Training and Development
These key performance indicators, together with our reporting on fiscal parameters and corporate governance, form the basis of our response under the benchmark guidelines as set out in the Global Reporting Initiative. During Fiscal Year 2011, Sims Metal Management Limited participated in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP6) for the sixth consecutive year, and the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the fourth time. This year we also took part in the CDP’s inaugural Water Disclosure Report.
Globally Sims' operations became more efficient reducing carbon produced per tonne of recovered material produced from 25kgs to 22kgs (2011 v 2010)
In Europe energy use and our carbon footprint increased year on year due to the commissioning of the Newport WEEE Plant and Ellesmere Port CRT Recycling Centre .
However the other facilities reduced electrical energy usage by 9.4% year on year. Also:
- Stalybridge Recycling Facility saved 777tCO2 through energy efficiency measures
- Dumfries ICT Asset Recovery Centre reduced gas consumption by 53%
Sims Group UK Limited was awarded the Carbon Trust Standard in 2010 for its carbon reduction achievements between 2007 and 2009.
Sims Metal Management Limited was named as one of the top 100 most sustainable corporations in the world at the 2011 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland for the third year running.
This initiative identifies companies who consistently demonstrate superior positioning and performance in environmental, social and governance issues relative to their industry peers.
Global 100 members are deemed to be the best equipped in the world to thrive in the long term due to their approach in protecting the interests of stakeholders and the confidence they inspire in society and investors alike.
Read the related Sims press release or find out more about the project via the Global 100 website.
Further information on Sims Recycling Solutions’ corporate social responsibility can be found on our corporate website.