The International Aluminium Institute (IAI), the only body representing the global primary aluminium industry, has announced a collaboration to promote technical development with the International Committee for Study of Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium (ICSOBA).
The partnership with ICSOBA aligns with IAI’s commitment to share best practices and demonstrate aluminium’s role in a sustainable world.
Speaking on the partnership, Miles Prosser, IAI Secretary General, said, “We are thrilled to partner with ICSOBA. The IAI is committed to working collaboratively with the industry to develop solutions and forge powerful relationships to make a real difference. I’m confident that the fantastic work already being done by ICSOBA and other industry partners will inspire our industry to think about actions we can take now and in the future to demonstrate our responsibility in producing the metal and the potential benefits to be realised through its use in sustainable applications.”
Last year, the IAI released a report on the aluminium industry’s current and potential contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). The report titled ‘The Aluminium Industry’s Contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals’ outlined the recent work by the Institute, activities of companies operating within the aluminium sector, the benefits from the use of aluminium, and other collaborative efforts. It also incorporated the industry’s impact across each of the 17 SDGs with links to specific industry case studies and other supporting resources.
The IAI also published “Sustainable Bauxite Mining Guidelines Second Edition 2022” to provide a practical and attainable guide to improve sustainability. It is bauxite-specific and contains theory and examples derived from mining, providing crucial lessons from a collective experience spanning over 50 years.
This year, the IAI also launched Aluminium Forward 2030, a coalition of IAI’s 25 production members and 20 downstream and customer companies who have committed themselves to transforming the aluminium sector. The aim is to accelerate progress toward Net Zero Emissions while working together on a roadmap that includes all the other UN Sustainable Development Goals.
“As an independent non-profit association that unites industry professionals representing major bauxite, alumina and aluminium-producing companies, technology suppliers, researchers, and consultants from around the world, with the vision of organising the “Technology Conference of the Aluminium Industry, for the Aluminium Industry”, ICSOBA is delighted to work with the IAI as the preferred conference partner for technical matters. Given our shared goals and mutual understanding, I hope this partnership will deepen the exchange of ideas and know-how from different fields of research related to bauxite exploration, mining, and alumina & aluminium production,” said Claude H. Vanvoren, ICSOBA CEO.
This partnership will start from the 41st ICSOBA International Conference and Exhibition, which will take place in Dubai from 5th to 9th November 2023, with significant contributions from the IAI and its members to the 15 keynote presentations and more than 160 technical papers.
IAI Secretary General Miles Prosser is among the confirmed keynote speakers, and Health, Safety & Environment Program Manager Paul Marsh will present a technical paper focusing on the development and piloting of a tool to assess climate impacts on the human health of aluminium sector workers and communities.
The IAI Bauxite and Alumina Committee will also meet on Sunday 5th November. International experts, scientists, engineers, technology suppliers, equipment, manufacturers and representatives of the global aluminium industry are expected to attend the event.
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