Antofagasta obtains the Copper Mark at Centinela

NEWS RELEASE, 09 AUGUST 2021

Antofagasta obtains the Copper Mark at Centinela

In line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and after a voluntary evaluation process, Centinela has become the first of the Antofagasta's mines to obtain the international Copper Mark, an assurance framework that certifies that the company operates under strict internationally recognised sustainable production standards.  

Zaldívar expects to obtain the Copper Mark next month and the Group's other two mining operations, Los Pelambres and Antucoya, will shortly begin their own certification processes.  

Iván Arriagada, Chief Executive Officer of Antofagasta plc said, "The importance of obtaining this certification lies in Antofagasta's commitment to modern and sustainable mining which transparently incorporates the best practices of the global mining industry."

Inspired by the SDGs, the Copper Mark takes a comprehensive approach to sustainability and includes the verification of activities at the sites where copper is produced. To this end, it requires compliance with 32 criteria in five categories: business and human rights, community, labour and working conditions, environment and governance.  Copper Mark follows up its original certification with a further review of within one year, and then every three years thereafter to certify ongoing compliance with the criteria. In this way, Copper Mark offers workers, investors, copper end-users and communities a simple and credible way to verify sustainable practices.

"After a rigorous process, involving self-assessment and an independent audit, we are very proud to be the first mining operation in the Company to obtain the Copper Mark, which certifies that our operating and other processes are carried out in accordance with the best sustainability practices in the industry," said Carlos Espinoza, General Manager of Centinela.

About:

The International Copper Association (ICA) began working on the Copper Mark initiative in 2017 in response to growing demands for information on the environmental, social and governance performance of copper producers from investors, banks, suppliers and NGOs.

Copper Mark has been an independent entity of the ICA since December 2019. With the inclusion of Centinela, there are now ten mining companies from different parts of the world that have achieved this certification. 

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