BHP has submitted its Letter of Commitment to the Copper Mark Responsible Production Framework.
The Copper Mark is a credible assurance framework to demonstrate the copper industry's responsible production practices and contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The Letter of Commitment is for BHP's operated copper assets in Escondida and Spence in Chile, and Olympic Dam, Australia (representing 1.5 million tonnes of copper production in FY20).
BHP Group Sales and Marketing Officer Michiel Hovers said Copper Mark is a voluntary program designed to hold the copper industry accountable to responsible practices in critical areas including environment, community, human rights and governance issues.
"We know that our long-term sustainability credentials are important to our customers and increasingly important to end consumers of copper products, such as buyers of electric vehicles and copper intensive consumer durables," Mr Hovers said.
"The Copper Mark accreditation is an important step in developing an industry-wide approach to transparency and standards for the copper value chain.
"The Copper Mark is an independent and credible certification, and will further reinforce the value responsible production of the copper products that we sell to our customers.
"We have set targets to reduce our emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 and we have a goal of net zero emissions by 2050. In Chile, at our largest copper mine, we are aiming to achieve 100 per cent renewable power and 100% desalinated water.
"We know that copper is essential to the energy transition, but equally important to our customers, our investors, our employees, our communities, and our stakeholders across the copper value chain is ethical and sustainable production of copper - where production is in line with the UN's sustainable development goals."
