Luzenac 20-pages - Rio Tinto

Welcome…
Welcome to Luzenac’s second sustainable development report.
2003 was an important year for us as we progressed from the ideas
and ambitions set out in our SD Policy to taking concrete action in our
business. These actions included offsetting greenhouse gas emissions,
taking a structured approach to community relations, promoting biodiversity,
and looking at how the human resources function can contribute to
SD. We also greatly improved our financial performance through an efficiency-based
cost-cutting drive.
One central theme for Luzenac is the efficient and responsible use of our
resources: the talc ore we mine, the energy and water we use, the after-use
of the land we disturb, and the support we give to our local communities.
In this report we describe our efforts in all the above, both as Luzenac and
as a member of the industrial minerals industry.
In all these areas, it is our ‘Human Resources’, our employees, who make it
possible to innovate, progress and exercise good corporate governance. The
responsible selection and development of our people is the key, therefore, to
our continued success—economic, social and environmental.
In 2003, we strengthened our safety systems with the introduction worldwide
of our own software management tool and a more hands-on
approach to safety from managers in the field. Despite a poor result in
terms of the number of lost time injuries, the trend is towards less serious
accidents. Constant effort is needed to maintain this trend.
In environmental matters, our Mexican and Australian operations
obtained ISO 14001 certification. This completed the set until
we acquired the controlling interest in two process plants in Japan.
We are giving priority to safety systems here but will be working towards
certification for these operations as well.
Throughout the year we witnessed growing interest in our SD efforts from
our leading customers. Many of them are as committed to SD as we are
and they are finding comfort in their talc supplier sharing these values and
thus being a more secure business partner.
Whether you are a customer, employee, neighbour, investor, policy maker,
regulator or opinion former, we hope you find something of interest in this
report and welcome your suggestions on how we can continue to improve.
Joachim Roeser
President and CEO
Luzenac Group
Contents
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EC Voluntary Scheme
for the reporting of SD Indicators
Building quality relationships
with our customers
Implementing fair and safe
employee practices
Enjoying respected status in our
communities
Managing the environment
responsibly
Talc, the mineral that contributes
to sustainable development
Making efficient use of our
mineral deposits
Fostering supplier and joint venture
relationships that are in line
with our HSEC standards
Ensuring the economic, social and
environmental viability of all our
acquisitions and projects
2001 Sustainable Development
Indicator Data for the EU
Industrial Minerals Industry
2003 targets vs.
performance
targets targets
2004 targets
2003
2004
talc for the world 3
targets targets
welcome