REG - Central Asia Metals - Publication of 2021 Sustainability Report

Central Asia MetalsAnnouncement

05/05/2022 07:00

For best results when printing this announcement, please click on link below:
http://newsfile.refinitiv.com/getnewsfile/v1/story?guid=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20220505:nRSE3580Ka&default-theme=true

RNS Number : 3580K  Central Asia Metals PLC  05 May 2022

5 May 2022

 

CENTRAL ASIA METALS PLC

('CAML' or the 'Company')

Publication of 2021 Sustainability Report

Central Asia Metals plc (AIM: CAML) announces that it has today published its
2021 Sustainability Report, which covers its approach and activities for the
year ended 31 December 2021, both at Group level and at the Sasa zinc-lead
mine in North Macedonia ('Sasa') and the Kounrad dump leach, solvent
extraction and electro-winning ('SX-EW') copper recovery plant in Kazakhstan
('Kounrad').

The report is available to view on the Company's website at:

https://www.centralasiametals.com/investors/reports-and-presentations/
(https://www.centralasiametals.com/investors/reports-and-presentations/)

This is the Company's third Sustainability Report and the second in accordance
with the Global Reporting Initiative ('GRI') Standards 'Core option'. It
covers CAML's approach to transparent business conduct, maintaining safe
operations and healthy working environments, and its efforts to minimise
negative environmental or social impacts.

The document details the Company's reporting efforts towards Task Force on
Climate-Related Financial Disclosures ('TCFD'), including its Climate Change
Strategy, developed during 2021. CAML has committed to a 50% reduction in its
greenhouse gas ('GHG') emissions by 2030 versus a 2020 base, and to achieving
net zero by 2050.

CAML has committed to the following specific targets with a view to
maintaining momentum in its sustainability achievements for the future and
will report on its performance in these key areas in next year's
Sustainability Report. Additional targets will be set going forwards as
appropriate. Executive Director and Senior Management remuneration will
reflect performance against these goals:

 Delivering value through stewardship  ·    Zero human rights abuses
 Maintaining health and safety         ·    Zero fatalities

                                       ·    Improve Group lost time injury frequency rate ('LTIFR') versus 2021
                                       (1.69)
 Focusing on our people                ·    Maintain 99% local employment across both operations

                                       ·  20% female interviewees for each eligible role from 2023 onwards

                                       ·    25% increase in Group female employees by end 2025
 Caring for the environment            ·    Zero severe or major environmental incidents

                                       ·    50% reduction in Group GHG emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050

                                       ·   75% reduction in surface water abstraction at Sasa by end 2026

                                       ·  70% of tailings to be stored in a more environmentally responsible
                                       manner (paste backfill and dry stack tailings) by end 2026

                                       ·    Report Scope 3 emissions in 2024

                                       ·    Report to Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management ('GISTM')
                                       in 2024
 Unlocking value for our communities   ·    Zero severe or major community-related incidents

                                       ·   Increase level of community support to an annualised average of 0.5% of
                                       Group gross revenue (up from 0.25%)

 

Nigel Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

"2021 was a year of record financial performance for CAML, as a result of
solid production and strong demand for our base metals. This enabled us to
generate value for all our stakeholders including our employees, local
communities, governments and suppliers, as well as our shareholders.

"I was very pleased with the work carried out in 2021 to develop our Climate
Change Strategy, enabling us to commit to a 50% reduction in GHG emissions by
2030 and a 2050 net zero target, as well as to commence reporting towards
TCFD. During 2022, we will undertake climate change scenario analysis and, in
2023, we will start to calculate Scope 3 emissions. The Sasa Cut and Fill
Project-related technical studies that were undertaken during 2021 have
enabled us to set surface water withdrawal reduction and waste storage
improvement targets for the mine over the long term.

"While we recorded four lost time injuries at Sasa, lessons have been learnt
and we have now hired a new Group Health and Safety Manager, who brings a
wealth of industry experience and will assist us in our ultimate goal of
achieving zero harm.

"During the year, we have further strengthened our governance protocol in the
areas of human rights and anti-bribery and corruption, with a particular focus
on enhancing our supplier agreements, assessment procedures and support in
this regard.

"During 2021, we formed diversity and inclusion committees at both of our
sites and, in 2022, we will action ideas raised in these sessions. As a result
of this initiative, we have been able to begin to set ourselves specific
targets to improve gender equality.

"We continued to enjoy strong community relationships at Kounrad and Sasa
during 2021 and were delighted to complete the development of the Youth Park
along the banks of the river in Makedonska Kamenica, close to the Sasa
operation. A 2021 highlight for me has been seeing this new recreation area
enjoyed by so many of our neighbours.

"During 2021, we fulfilled our purpose to produce base metals, which are
essential for modern living, profitably in a safe and sustainable environment
for all our stakeholders. We strive to further improve our sustainability
performance and, as ever, would welcome feedback on this report from any of
our stakeholders."

For further information contact:

 Central Asia Metals                               Tel: +44 (0) 20 7898 9001
 Nigel Robinson, CEO
 Gavin Ferrar, CFO
 Louise Wrathall, Director of Corporate Relations  louise.wrathall@centralasiametals.com

 Peel Hunt (Nominated Advisor and Joint Broker)    Tel: +44 (0) 20 7418 8900
 Ross Allister
 David McKeown

 BMO Capital Markets (Joint Broker)                Tel: +44 (0) 20 7236 1010
 Thomas Rider
 Pascal Lussier Duquette

 BlytheRay (PR Advisors)                           Tel: +44 (0) 20 7138 3204
 Tim Blythe
 Megan Ray
 Rachael Brooks

Note to editors:

 

Central Asia Metals, an AIM-listed UK company based in London, owns 100% of
the Kounrad SX-EW copper project in central Kazakhstan and 100% of the Sasa
zinc-lead mine in North Macedonia.

For further information, please visit www.centralasiametals.com
(http://www.centralasiametals.com/)  and follow CAML on Twitter at
@CamlMetals and on LinkedIn at Central Asia Metals Plc

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact
rns@lseg.com (mailto:rns@lseg.com)
 or visit
www.rns.com (http://www.rns.com/)
.

RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our
Privacy Policy (https://www.lseg.com/privacy-and-cookie-policy)
.   END  MSCAIMFTMTBMBRT