Our vocation has always been, and always will be, to position ourselves as a company a step ahead of the future. Today, that future is defined by the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, which we have implemented in all our areas of activity, becoming a model of industrial sustainability. We want to be promoters of change and we recognize that the copper and precious metals we produce are essential for tackling the great challenges of this century.
Our Approach
We produce materials essential for society
Metals such as copper, gold, silver, platinum, palladium, tin or zinc will play a key role in the technologies needed to obtain clean energy, thus contributing to the planet’s transition to a low-carbon economy, digitalization and sustainable mobility.
Their production is under growing demand from the technology industry, smart cities and electric vehicle development. The urbanization phenomenon is unstoppable, and it is estimated that by 2040 there will be a significant increase in the degree of household electrification worldwide, as well as an increase of 500 million homes.
We have the opportunity to provide the world with responsibly produced metals, which means operating sustainably in managing the various aspects of our production that are related to environmental protection.
45 %
It is estimated that copper consumption will grow by more than 45% by 2035, partially driven by green technologies such as solar and wind power and electric vehicles.
We are involved in the fight against climate change
We are fully aware of the privileged environment in which we are located, next to the Marismas del Odiel Nature Reserve.
We are executing numerous conservation and protection actions to contribute to constructing a more sustainable and environmentally friendly planet. At our facilities, we have implemented the Environmental Management System 14001, as well as the Energy Management System 50001, which has allowed us to reduce natural resource consumption and CO2 emissions.
Additionally, we do outreach activities in the area, focused on the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of marine and terrestrial resources, in collaboration with the Regional Government of Andalusia.
We promote responsible production
We work by emphasizing energy efficiency and minimizing possible environmental impact. We are committed to innovation as a tool to achieve our goals. We invest some 10 million euros in technological innovation annually, as a formula to constantly improve the efficiency of our processes, prioritizing projects related to the circular economy.
We reinforce the reduction of natural resource consumption through the re-use of recycled copper and the comprehensive use of raw materials containing valuable elements that mostly originate in industrial disassembly and end-of-life electronic equipment.
We develop policies to proactively manage our potential impact on the ecosystems in which we operate, and we promote on-going training and awareness-raising for our workers’ environmental behavior.
Today more than 50% of all copper demand in Europe is covered by recycled material.
We contribute to development in the region
Our activity generates important economic dynamism in the province, contributing a gross annual added value about 180 million euros and ensuring good jobs. Plus, we evaluate our suppliers – around 650 in Andalusia – on their compliance with legal, tax, social security, risk prevention and environmental requirements, among others.
Beyond the Foundation
Our sustainable development (ESG) path is in our DNA and is part of our strategy, perfectly aligned with the requirements and demands of today’s society.
We have established strong links with associations, entities, organizations and individuals from all social sectors, collaborating with them on projects of many types: educational, social, assistance, cultural, sporting and environmental.
We have been a member of the Society and Responsible Company Foundation, SERES, since 2013.
We have been recognized by the top consultancies in ESG evaluation as the leading Spanish company in the mining-metallurgical sector for environmental, social and governance factors.
We have certification from The Copper Mark and The Nickel Mark, a system for ensuring responsible copper and nickel carbonate production promoted by the International Copper Association (ICA).
Atlantic Copper has voluntarily implemented a Social Responsibility Management System (SRMS) since 2014, certified by AENOR in keeping with the IQNet SR10 standard (which includes all the recommendations of the ISO 26000 standard for Social Responsibility).
