A sustainability programme
Prior to 2008, the International Manganese Institute (IMnI) focused on health research – -understanding manganese science and filling knowledge gaps. Since 2008, the Institute has reached an exciting and critical stage after developing a sustainability programme; 2008 – 2009. Contracted to Hatch, the Toronto consulting firm, the programme consisted of two parallel efforts, one was to benchmark IMnI against other metals industry associations, and the second was a high level regulatory review – see Report 1 below.
As first steps, the results of this double exercise were presented to members of the HSE Committee and the Board in 2009 at the “Manganese Sustainability Workshop». After an intense and long debate on the top ranking risks and opportunities for the Manganese Industry, the action plan was to explore how to reduce the industry’s impact on climate change. From here an ambitious Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Foot Printing Project was completed (see report 2 below) and a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), defined as a cradle to customer gate LCA for the Mn Industry (mine through Mn alloys to gate of steel producer was initiated – see goal & scope report 3 below .
Alongside the energy and greenhouse gas foot printing and the LCA was a collaborative Project with The Environment Agency of England and Wales to develop a workable and scientifically robust water quality standard for Mn. (see report 4 below).
