Novelis releases 2017 sustainability report

Aluminum rolling and recycling company Novelis Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, has published its sustainability report for fiscal 2017, detailing continued progress against the company's ongoing sustainability commitments and goals.

Novelis achieved key sustainability milestones two years ahead of target, according to the report, including increasing the use of high-recycled-metal content inputs to 55 percent and reducing its water usage to the fiscal 2020 target of 2.7 cubic meters per metric ton. “These sustainable gains were achieved during a record year of financial performance and are a result of increased operational efficiencies and technical innovation throughout the company’s 24 facilities around the world,” the company states in a news release announcing the report’s availability.

Novelis says safety remains a top priority for the company, with 2017 representing another record low in recordable safety incidents with 11 of the company’s 24 facilities seeing no recordable injuries. The company continues to evaluate process improvements and new safety measures with the goal of reaching zero injuries. The company says it also continued to curb its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) over the last fiscal year, reducing emissions by more than 21 percent from the baseline of 21 million metric tons of CO2. The waste to landfill and energy intensity rates increased over the last year and are key areas of focus for fiscal 2018.

“From operations within our company to how we partner with our stakeholders, safety and sustainability continue to be core to our business,” says Steve Fisher, Novelis president and CEO. “We have made great gains in this fiscal year and are ahead of target in some areas. Additionally, we remain resolute in our commitment to leverage our technical expertise and innovative capabilities to solve challenges at our facilities and promote sustainability throughout the manufacturing industry.”

Recycling aluminum produces 95 percent fewer GHG emissions and requires 95 percent less energy than primary aluminum production, the company notes. These properties enable Novelis to achieve lower GHG emissions and drive sustainable value across its business segments of beverage can, automotive and high-end specialties. For example, in the beverage can industry, Novelis recycles approximately 65 billion used beverage cans annually, returning them to store shelves in approximately 60 days. In the automotive space, Novelis says it helps customers achieve sustainability goals through scrap metal collection and recycling. In partnership with Ford Motor Co., 90 percent of its scrap was collected and recycled—enough to produce an additional 30,000 F-150 truck bodies per month.

The company says it made a number of other important achievements in 2017:

• Novelis was honored with the inaugural Supplier Sustainability Award from Denso, a leading supplier of automotive components. The award recognizes Novelis’ leadership in all facets of sustainability across its operations, product lines and communities.
• In partnership with Jaguar Land Rover, Novelis reclaimed 50,000 tons of aluminum scrap, which is equivalent to 200,000 Jaguar XE body shells, preventing 500,000 tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.
• The global Novelis workforce supported 317 community projects and committed more than $4 million in support of global and local causes aligned with Novelis’ long-term focus areas of recycling, safety and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.
• The company is committed to having 100 percent of its employees CPR/First Aid Certified.
• Novelis pledged $1 million to Habitat for Humanity International over the next five years, a 100 percent increase over its financial contribution during the previous five years.

For more information and to download the report, visit www.novelis.com/sustainability.