Alcoa considered one of the model companies in EXAME’s Sustainability Guide 2013

Alcoa, the world's leading producer of primary and transformed aluminum, was considered the most sustainable company in the sector in which it operates and in the category, 'Relationship with Suppliers' by Exame's Sustainability Guide 2013, an annual publication from Editora Abril. Considered to be one of the most relevant surveys of its type in Brazil, the Guide highlights the sustainable actions of companies. The announcement was made during a ceremony held yesterday, November 6, in the Maria Luisa and Oscar Americano Foundation in São Paulo (SP).

"We're very proud to have won first place in our sector and particularly to be part of such a select group of companies for the seventh time. This result proves that even with the enormous challenges the aluminum industry has faced we keep on persevering and treading our competitive path in a sustainable way", was the assessment of Franklin L. Feder, CEO of Alcoa Latin America & the Caribbean.

Alcoa's "Sustainable Procurement" program, winner in the 'Relationship with Suppliers' category, seeks to identify the sustainability practices of suppliers by way of questionnaires, measures and visits. Alcoa is committed to its value chain and considers social and environmental criteria when assessing, qualifying and hiring its trading partners. In 2012, 76 suppliers were checked and 28 of them were visited personally by the company and audited, including also companies that provide services for suppliers, which are often located in the interior of states in the north and northeast of Brazil.

To avoid hiring companies where there is a risk of human rights violations, the company consults the Labor Ministry list beforehand, applies specific questionnaires on the topic and checks documents that provide evidence of a company's observance of human rights. Alcoa is also a signatory to the "Right Direction" program that seeks to assess whether suppliers have initiatives that provide guidance for truckers regarding sexual exploitation. Violating contractual clauses may lead to the need for adjustment (with deadlines and guidance coming from Alcoa) or in the company being disqualified as a supplier. In 2012, no suppliers were recorded as not complying with human rights; the company has 6000 active suppliers and approximately 1100 contracts with significant suppliers, which have human rights clauses.

For João Batista Menezes, assistant director of Health, Safety, Environment & Sustainability (HSE&S) for Latin America and the Caribbean, in addition to Alcoa strengthening the relationship with its suppliers, it also helps them operate in a more sustainable way. "We develop initiatives for helping our local suppliers improve in some locations, like the Supplier Development Program in Maranhão and Pará, in partnership with the Industry Federations, and the Links Program in Pernambuco".