ALRO, one of the largest vertically integrated aluminium producers in Europe, measured by production capacity, publishes today its Consolidated Sustainability Report for 2021, presenting an overview of the Group’s sustainability performance and its key achievements in 2021, such as increasing efficiency of its operations, better analysing and measures implemented to lower the impact on the environment while remaining one of the main contributors to Romanian economy.
“In 2021, we continued to lead by example as a responsible business that complies with the best available practices and technologies, aiming to create a better and durable future for our Group and the Romanian society”, said Marian Nastase, Chairman of the Board of Directors at ALRO. “Being an important pillar of the Romanian economy, we feel even more pressure to find solutions to maintain our operations and create value across the value chain for all our stakeholders while building a sustainable future”, added Marian Nastase.
In 2021, the Group invested approximately USD 40 million, focusing on electric power dependence by increasing the quantity of molten metal from recycled aluminium scrap, increasing the operational reliability and improving the energy efficiency, thus reducing the environmental footprint while providing a safe and reliable workplace. The Group kept it focus on its programme to reduce energy consumption and continued the implementation of the AP12LE project, with 87 pots being relined with this innovative technology in 2021, reaching a total of 165 pots relined since the project start-up. In 2021, the largest amount of aluminium scrap recycled in the Cast-House and Eco-Recycling Facility was reported, i.e. around 94,000 tonnes.
Investments in technology and research and development led ALRO to reduce even more its environmental footprint, reaching a 79 percent water recirculation and 95.3 percent degree of waste recirculation and recovery in/from ALRO out of the total waste generated. Also, in 2021, the degree of traceability held by ALRO waste documents was of 100 percent for recoverable waste by third parties and for the eliminable waste by third parties and 99.3 percent for the dangerous waste eliminable by third parties. Moreover, the specific emission has a value of 1.36 tCO2e/tAl (cast aluminium) at ALRO Primary Aluminium and in 2021 compared to 2002, ALRO reduced the perfluorocarbon emissions (PFC) by 98.3 percent. The CO2 emissions related to the production of cast aluminium decreased 5 times in 2021 compared to 2001. Also, ALRO reached in 2021, the lowest DC-specific consumption in the Company’s history and one of the lowest in the aluminium industry.
The employees were also a significant part of 2021 investments programme. ALRO Group recorded more than 62,000 training hours in 2021, including initiation, qualification, authorization, improvement, specialization programs, and health and safety courses. At the level of Olt County, ALRO is in the top three employers and companies with the highest turnovers and has engaged around 3,000 suppliers are engaged at all levels within the Group’s activity, supporting the development of the Romanian economy with a significant impact on the local communities, as well.
ALRO continued to support the local communities where it activates, supporting through donations several institutions and associations in health, education, and environmental protection areas. Furthermore, ALRO Group donated, since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, around RON 2.5 million to institutions involved in preventing and combating the effects of the pandemic. Last year, it opened two vaccination centres for the Group’s employees and their families in Slatina and Tulcea.
