Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

An improved understanding of the environmental and social impacts of
products and services is key to ensure sustainable value chain for the future.
Therefore, strong environmental management of chemical safety, air, and
water emissions, and minimising the environmental footprint are key priorities.

Our impact: Our products and production have an environmental footprint throughout the value chain. Elimination of waste is one of the key strategies for successful operations. Our health, safety, and environment (HSE) policy covers actions on energy and resource utilisation, environmental impact through emissions to air and discharge to water and waste reduction and waste management. Our goal is to reduce the waste generation by good process control.

Circularity is becoming more and more critical throughout our value chain. Elkem is working with customers and researchers across the topics of reduce, reuse and recycle. For example, increase the use of recycled raw materials in our operations by collecting them, reintroducing them, and
valuing by-products (such as Elkem Microsilica ®). By joining forces with our customers, we aim to increase the collection of waste to recycle them chemically or mechanically.

Impacted by: There is an increased focus on environmental and climate-friendly production from society, employees, and investors. In addition, operations are subject to environmental permits and the risk of stricter permits from governments and/or other policy changes require our attention
to ensure compliance and successful transition to a society with lower carbon
and environmental footprint.

Elkem is part of the chemical industries’ voluntary initiative Responsible Care. Through the initiative, Elkem commits to efficient use of resources, waste minimisation and to improve technologies, processes and products over their life cycle beyond legislative and regulatory compliance. 

SDG impact report 2021 and 2022 – SDG 12