ASI certifies Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. against Performance Standard V3 and Chain of Custody Standard V2
The high purity alumina is used in lithium-ion battery materials and ceramic components for semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
18 December 2023
Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) today announced that Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. has been certified against the ASI Performance Standard V3 and Chain of Custody V2. The company’s aluminium is used in electrolytic capacitors foils, liquid crystal displays and wiring for semiconductors. Its alumina is used in integrated circuit packages and automobile spark plugs. The high purity alumina is used in lithium-ion battery materials and ceramic components for semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
The ASI Certification program was developed through an extensive multi-stakeholder consultation process and is the only comprehensive voluntary sustainability standard initiative for the aluminium value chain. The ASI Performance Standard V3 and ASI CoC Standard V2 were launched in May 2022 following a multi-year revision process.
The ASI Performance Standard defines 11 principles and 62 criteria under three sustainability pillars – Environment, Social, and Governance – with the aim to address pressing sustainability issues in the aluminium value chain, such as biodiversity, Indigenous Peoples rights, circularity, and greenhouse gas emissions. The ASI CoC Standard sets out requirements for the creation of a Chain of Custody for material that is produced and processed through the value chain into diverse downstream sectors. The implementation of ASI’s CoC Standard links verified practices at successive steps of the supply chain – certified under the ASI Performance Standard – to the products produced by ASI Certified Entities. The CoC Standard also confirms that appropriate policies and due diligence process are in place to identify and address critical issues, such as corruption, human rights abuses, materials originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas in the supply chain and support responsible sourcing.
The independent third-party audit was carried out by ERM Certification and Verification Services. A summary of audit findings is available in the attached reports. Twelve minor non-conformances were noted under Criteria 2.10a-b Closure, Decommissioning and Divestment, 4.1a Environmental Life Cycle Assessment, 5.3a-e GHG Emissions Reduction Plans, 6.3a-g Assessment and Management of Spills and Leakages, 8.1a Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Risk and Impact Assessment, 8.1b Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Risk and Impact Assessment – Priority, 8.2a-g Biodiversity Management, 8.3a-c Management of Priority Ecosystem Services, 8.4 Alien Species, 8.5a-b Commitment to “No Go” in World Heritage Properties, 8.6a-d Protected Areas, 9.7a-h Affected Populations and Organisations. Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd will be implementing a corrective action plan to address these non-conformances, the implementation of which will be verified in follow-up audits. No non-conformances were identified during the Chain of Custody Certification audit.
“We congratulate Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd on their dual ASI Certification, serving as an important step forward on the path toward responsible practices for their production of aluminium and alumina products. ASI Certification provides a benchmark of performance and a framework for continuous improvement across key environmental, social and governance issues. Achieving this dual certification demonstrates the company’s commitment to responsible practices and sourcing of materials for use in electronics, batteries and other essential downstream industries.”
– Fiona Solomon, Chief Executive Officer at ASI
“Sumitomo Chemical is very proud to attain ASI Certification. We have placed a priority, above all else, on the trust of our stakeholders, and responsible production practices are an important step in achieving this goal. We believe that working with ASI will enable us to further contribute positively to our communities.”
– Hisashi Watanabe, General Manager, Inorganic Materials Division, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.
More information
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
