BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 8. Uzbekistan's Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company (NMMC) is actively integrating ESG principles (environmental, social, and governance standards) into its operations, Boris Samoylenko, Head of ESG at NMMC, told Trend in an exclusive interview.
“Receiving the first ESG rating from internationally recognized agency Sustainable Fitch confirms our commitment to the principles of sustainable development and reflects the level of integration of environmental, social, and governance factors in our activities,” Boris Samoylenko noted.
According to him, the ESG rating has a direct impact on the reputation of the plant in the industry, increasing the level of confidence of investors and international partners. It also contributes to the improvement of NMMC's image in the sphere of responsible corporate governance and enhances the company's transparency.
“From an operational point of view, this allows us to identify areas for improvement and implement more sustainable business practices, and creates prerequisites for attracting green financing on more favorable terms for the mill's extensive investment program,” he explained.
Boris Samoylenko emphasized that as part of its operational activities, the company supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals by contributing to the development of the regions where it operates, upholding the principles of responsible business conduct, working to preserve the environment and ensuring fair working conditions for employees.
"NMMC actively supports the Green Economy Year initiative. We are increasing the share of renewable energy sources, including solar and wind power plants, to cover the company's energy needs, reducing our carbon footprint by implementing energy-efficient technologies and modernizing equipment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The company has adopted and is implementing programs for rational use of water and for increasing landscaping and improvement of adjacent territories," he pointed out.
He emphasized that NMMC is making steady steps forward in terms of implementation of renewable energy projects. By the end of 2024, the total capacity of solar photovoltaic stations at the production sites of the Works has increased five times. By the end of 2025, about 21 percent of NMMC's energy needs will be covered by solar generation.
"The main priority of the company is to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. For this purpose, a corporate climate strategy is being developed this year, aimed at managing climate risks, ensuring a systematic approach to disclosure of information on climate risks and monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions," Boris Samoylenko added.
Speaking about water conservation, he noted that NMMC's production processes require the use of a large amount of water - the company's annual water demand is 130 million cubic meters.
“In recent years, NMMC has been actively implementing a water conservation program aimed at reducing the consumption of clean water, reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation, mine and underground water in the technological process, introduction of a drip irrigation system, optimization of process equipment operation,” Samoylenko explained.
He told that by 2030 NMMC plans to reduce the consumption of clean water for processing one ton of ore at hydrometallurgical plants to 0.8 cubic meters, as well as to bring the share of recycled, treated and mine water used in the production process to 35-40 percent, which will save water taken from the Amu Darya. According to the program, it is planned to save 36 million cubic meters of clean water by 2030. These measures improve the environmental sustainability of NMMC by reducing pressure on water resources.
"We also invest in the development of social infrastructure, including schools, educational programs, and vocational training, and support gender equality initiatives. Improving working conditions and workplace safety remain a priority on the ESG agenda. Last year, more than 15,000 people were trained and upgraded through various educational programs, and a distance learning platform was launched for all employees," he remarked.
According to him, last year, NMMC built two major social facilities: a Specialized Boarding School in the Tamdyn district of the Navoi region and an International Chess School on the territory of Tudakul recreation center. The International Chess School meets FIDE requirements for holding international chess tournaments.
Furthermore, Samoylenko highlighted the importance of gender equality and said that NMMC was the first Uzbek company to join the International Women in Mining (IWiM) organization.
“Our cooperation with the IWiM organization has already allowed us to establish important links to share experiences and use the best international practices to ensure women's empowerment as part of its long-term strategy and ESG goals,” Boris Samoylenko concluded.