Sustainable Development Goals

IZA and its members are committed to the principle of sustainability, and this commitment is embedded in our sustainability charter and guiding principles. We believe that protection of the environment, open engagement on sustainability issues, and supporting sustainable development practices not only drive long-term prosperity for the zinc industry; they enable our customers to become more sustainable through the use of zinc products.

The United Nations introduced the Sustainable Development Goals to measure progress toward a more sustainable future. These goals address a wide range of global challenges, many of which Zinc and the Zinc industry play a key role in.

No Poverty

IZA Members Contribute:

• Teck supports a UNICEF pilot project to train rural health workers in Namibia. Today, 1,500 health workers are paid a government salary and have helped reduce child mortality in remote and rural regions of Namibia.
• Teck launched an innovative operating agreement in 1989 with the Indigenous Iñupiat people in Northwest Alaska to develop the Red Dog Mine and create jobs and economic opportunities. Over $5 billion in local benefits – including wages and royalties – have been generated since mining began, and Red Dog directly creates about 550 high-paying local jobs in a remote area of Alaska with few economic opportunities.
• Hindustan Zinc Limited partners with various organizations focused on developing skills to create new opportunities for imparting job-oriented training for local youth. Over the years more than 700 young people have received training and employment opportunities

Zero Hunger

Zinc Contributes:

• Zinc is essential for crop growth and survival and has been identified by the Food and Agriculture Organization as the most common micronutrient deficiency for crops in the world. By applying zinc in fertilizers to zinc deficient soils, the crop yields improve, nutritional quality of staple foods increase, mortality rates decrease, and healthier societies emerge.
• The Copenhagen Consensus, a project that seeks to establish priorities for advancing global welfare using methodologies based on the theory of welfare economics, using cost–benefit analysis identified vitamin A and zinc supplementations as key measures for combatting hunger and malnutrition.

IZA Contributes:

• The 'Zinc Nutrient Initiative' by IZA seeks to address the critical and linked issue of zinc deficiency in soils, crops and humans with the long-term and sustainable solution of zinc-fortified fertilizers to improve food and nutrition security, ultimately improving human health. ZNI has had projects in many parts of the world including Thailand, Peru, Brazil, and Mexico.  Ongoing activities include partnerships/projects with the World Bank in India, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) in Bangladesh, and the National Agro-Tech Extension and Service Center (NATESC) in China.

IZA Members Contribute:

• Teck has initiated the 'Zinc Alliance for Child Health', a $25 million program dedicated to scaling up access to life-saving zinc treatments, improving local supply chains, and training health care workers to strengthen health systems in sub-Saharan Africa and India. To date, 44 million cases of childhood diarrhea have been treated with zinc and oral rehydration salts, and 60,000 health care workers have been trained about the importance of zinc for child health.
• Hindustan Zinc Limited collaborates with the Government of Rajasthan and Anganwadi Centers in their nearby communities to run Project Khushi. Through the Anganwadi Centers this project reaches 60,000 children in these communities and caters to the health, nutrition and pre-school needs of children, in the formative age group of 0-6 years old. So far 1,600 severely & acutely malnourished children were identified, of which 37% were successfully brought to normal category through various project interventions.

Good Health and Well-Being

Zinc Contributes:

• Zinc is an essential element. Without zinc, there is no life; all living things need zinc to grow and function.
• Zinc applications promote health through human and crop nutrition, wound healing, sun screen, and the energy source powering hearing aids.

IZA Contributes:

• Zinc Saves Kids is a collaborative initiative between IZA and UNICEF focused on zinc containing supplementation programs to improve the survival, growth and development of young children in developing countries. Zinc deficiency-related health problems put 450,000 children at risk of dying every year due to zinc’s significance for treating diarrhea, pneumonia, and other infectious diseases.
• IZA funds and organizes international conferences on zinc and health that bring together renowned scientists, initiating knowledge transfer and innovative programs.

IZA Members Contribute:

• Peñoles-Foundation developed a partnership with the National Autonomous University of Mexico Foundation to offer free services and specialized care in optometry and dentistry to groups of children, and vulnerable adults in the communities neighboring their operations in four states. In total, 2,165 dental exams, 2,312 optometric exams and the donation of 2,138 pairs of glasses were provided.
• MMG launched a $1.38 million initiative, the 1000 Day Project, to provide nutritional support for families during the first 1000 days of life. By partnering with UNICEF and the Lao Ministry of Health, MMG is building wealth for host communities by supporting programs that provide lasting benefits to national child and maternal health.
• Glencore developed an HIV Care program in southern Africa, which offers free testing, treatment, awareness programs and education to employees, their dependents, and the local community. It aims to increase access to antiretroviral treatment and quality HIV-related care.
• Teck is a founding partner of The 25th Team, a network of Canadian women who have committed $6 million to advance UNICEF’s maternal and child health interventions and reduce preventable deaths. The Government of Canada has matched every dollar, making it a $12 million movement for maternal and child health. As a result of 25th Team funding, UNICEF will help ensure improved nutrition, birth registration, and stronger health systems for 3.8 million mothers and children by 2020.
• Hindustan Zinc Limited has created an initiative to promote road safety in its operational communities by covering three of the four important E’s of road safety – education, engineering, enforcement and emergency care. Currently, they have conducted 2479 awareness sessions in communities and a wide-scale reflective tape campaign in 18 villages.
• Newmont worked with Project C.U.R.E in 2016 to bring the Helping Babies Breathe program to rural areas of Ghana near their operations. The HBB program provides training in neonatal resuscitation skills to midwives in low-resource regions. In 2017, reporting from 32 attendees of this training indicated a newborn mortality rate of .71%, significantly lower than the national estimated rate of 1.7%.

Quality Education

Zinc Contributes:

• Zinc is an essential micronutrient and has many functions in the body, including healthy brain development and the ability to concentrate. Sufficient dietary zinc is an important contributor to successful learning capabilities.

IZA Members Contribute:

• Korea Zinc supports children through education programs partnered with Duk Shin Primary School, Onsan Junior High School and through scholarships for students via Kyungwon Cultural Federation.
• The Lundin Foundation gave $5.5 million to 22 initiatives in 2017 to enhance education and  skills training for community members and develop a skilled workforce. One of the four focal fields of activities is education and skills training.
• Teck’s Quebrada Blanca Operations in Chile have partnered with the Ministerial Secretariats of Education and Energy to develop a renewable energy education program for local schools.  After completing the program, students will be able to utilize knowledge about solar and wind power by working at local energy companies.

Gender Equality

IZA Members Contribute:

• The Lundin Foundation funded programs in which 537 refugees were trained in a Business Accelerator program. Together with Impact Invest Sweden, the programs provided training and support to help newcomers enter and navigate the Swedish business environment and develop entrepreneurship skills. Finding meaningful employment for female refugees posed a specific challenge that was tackled.
• Lundin's SOMINCOR company is targeting 15% women participation in the workforce and aims to improve economic inclusion of women in Baixo Alentejo as part of the company's commitment to being a catalyst for sustainable development. Initiatives are aimed at empowering women.
• MMG partnered with the Australian Government to donate over $35 thousand for construction of the Meeting Hall and Village office for Bounghkham Village, a community near their operation in Laos. The building provides space for local women to share in community decision making and ensuring access to social services.
• Teck worked with UN Women, local government, and indigenous community members to open Centro Originarias in Iquique, Chile in 2019. The first of its kind in South America, the Centro Originarias provides Indigenous women with tools and training to develop skills, build networks and improve their well-being through economic opportunity. To date, more than 180 women from communities throughout the region have received training, and 25 Indigenous women have been trained as economic development facilitators.
• Hindustan Zinc Limited’s Sakhi project is geared towards mobilizing rural women into self-help groups (SHGs) and developing their capacities around leadership, skill development, savings and entrepreneurship. There are currently 1922 groups with a total membership of 23,954 women. 18,053 women have received loans from these groups for various purposes like education or debt redemption and 492 women have started or expanded their micro-enterprises.

Clean Water and Sanitation

IZA Members Contribute:

• Glencore invests in water-related programs such as wells or filtration plants,  to help communities gain access to high-quality water. In 2017, Glencore provided $14.6 million to support community water infrastructure.
• Lundin's SOMINCOR is a company aimed at promoting sustainable water management and proper water use to ensure the continuous availability of clean, potable water in the area. Five communities along the water distribution system received potable water from the mine, including a municipal swimming pool and irrigation for 9 farms.
• Peñoles donated the 'Zacatecas' water well to the Torreón/Coahuila Municipal Water and Sanitation System so that this municipal authority could manage it for the benefit of 15,000 families living in the communities surrounding the Met-Mex Metallurgical Complex.
• Newmont updated their global water strategy in 2018 to adjust their focus toward water stewardship in their operations. They partnered with the World Resource Institute to help identify opportunities across each operating region by prioritizing and assessing risk profiles based on watershed conditions as well as recommending targets and engagement opportunities.

Affordable and Clean Energy

Zinc Contributes:

• Galvanized steel is the material of choice for structures that support and align solar panels, while zinc is also a component of the solar cells themselves and in the infrastructure supporting the electrical distribution network.
• Thermal spraying of offshore windmills reduces costly maintenance and enhances their lifetime, thereby contributing to lower costs of offshore wind energy.
• Transport of renewable energy from off shore windmill parks to where the energy is needed via power lines. High voltage pylons are galvanized (duplex coated) to protect the steel from corrosion and damage.

IZA Contributes:

• Programs dedicated to corrosion protection, Thermal Spraying, Galvanized sheet steel (GAP), and Galvanized Rebar support the capture, distribution, and storage of clean energy.

IZA Members Contribute:

• Teck partnered in the construction of SunMine solar project, located on Teck’s former Sullivan Mine site. SunMine is Western Canada’s largest solar power facility and the first solar project built on a reclaimed mine site. Teck provided use of the land and site infrastructure as well as a $2 million contribution towards SunMine.
• Hindustan Zinc Limited is focusing on the captive usage of solar energy at some of their facilities. Solar rooftop projects with a capacity of 64MW have already been installed in some locations with additional captive solar plants located at Rampura Agucha (22 MW), Debari (12 MW) and Dariba (4 MW).
• Teck’s Quebrada Blanca Operations partnered with AES Gener in 2013, to guarantee a supply of solar power to the site for the next 20 years. This partnership is part of the strategic development of renewable energy sources for current activities at the operation as well as future activities at Quebrada Blanca Phase 2.

Decent Work and Economic Growth

IZA Members Contribute:

•  The Lundin Foundation provided financing, training, and technical assistance to help create the company, Catering Las Peñas is a catering and housekeeping services company founded by former employees of Lundin Gold's Fruta del Norte project in southern Ecuador.Catering Las Peñas provides catering and housekeeping services to 700 workers at the developing mine and created 200 jobs.
• Volcan (Glencore) and the NGO Prisma designed a program to develop sustainable businesses in Peru. Volcan provides resources for productive activities related to agriculture and stockbreeding, promotion of forest production, and strengthening of breeding activities through the development of fish farms. These actions, coupled with the hiring of community-owned business, generates annual revenue of $22 million for local economies.
• Teck has partnered with the Elk Valley communities of Elkford, Fernie and Sparwood, as well as with local First Nations, through the Elk Valley Economic Initiative (EVEI). Teck operates five steelmaking coal mines that employ approximately 4,000 people in this region and has a vested interest in ensuring the Elk Valley has a healthy economy. The EVEI is working to promote and advance regional economic development initiatives, including addressing infrastructure gaps, workforce development and training, and business diversification.
• Nexa Resources partnered with the Brazilian Development Bank, starting in 2010, through the ReDes Program to contribute to sustainable development in Brazilian municipalities. ReDes supports the generation of jobs and income by working with communities to invest in infrastructure, develop business plans and map production chains until a business becomes self-sufficient.
• Hindustan Zinc Limited partnered with Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation to implement Samadhan, their flagship program for on-farm sustainable livelihood through agriculture and livestock interventions with farming families. Some of the key efforts carried out during the year focused on improving soil health, quality of seeds and plants, improving breeding and updating farming practices and technology. By 2020, Samadhan will positively impact the lives of more than 30,000 farming families living near HZL operations.

Industrial Innovation and Infrastructure

Zinc Contributes:

• More than 50% of global zinc production is used as a coating on steel to protect it from corrosion, which prolongs the service life of steel products significantly. Steel is the most important material in infrastructure, construction and building, renewable energy, and mobility.

IZA Contributes:

• Programs dedicated to corrosion protection,  Thermal Spraying, Galvanized sheet steel (GAP), and Galvanized Rebar ensure long-term durability of steel products and infrastructure.

IZA Members Contribute:

• Nexa's Mining Lab program was conceived with the purpose of supporting efforts from entrepreneurs willing to develop tech innovation projects for the metals and mining sector.
• Teck has launched an innovative pilot project to use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel source in haul trucks at their Fording River Operation in southeast British Columbia, making it the first use of LNG as a haul truck fuel at a Canadian mine site. There is the potential to eliminate approximately 35,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually at Teck’s steelmaking coal operations and potentially reduce fuel costs by more than $20 million annually by adopting LNG and diesel hybrid fuel across the operations.
• Peñoles has invested in 70 projects for the construction and repair of roads and bridges, paving of sidewalks, school improvements, drinking water and drainage, electrical infrastructure, public lighting and sanitary landfills. In the period 2014-2017, more than $133 million has been invested in six Mexican states where Peñoles has a presence, including Zacatecas, Sonora, Durango, Coahuila, Chihuahua, and the State of Mexico.

Reduced Inequalities

IZA Members Contribute:

• The Lundin Foundation funded a refugee training program in 2017 that benefited 537 people. Lundin Foundation's partnership with social innovation leaders SoCentral and the city of Oslo, Norway, led to BOOST Refugee, an accelerator program to help refugees find jobs through career fairs, courses, mentoring and networking events.

Sustainable Cities and Communities

Zinc Contributes:

• Steel will continue to play a leading role in building and construction, in mobility and in infrastructure. Zinc coatings make steel more durable, saving resources and thus CO2.
• Zinc sheet allows for round shape roof forms. In combination with other materials (e.g. wood), these roofs provide variety and comfort to our cities and homes.

IZA Contributes:

• The environmental performance of zinc as a material used in building and construction, transportation, and infrastructure is characterized using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). IZA facilitates the data collection, modeling, and publishing of LCA information for zinc concentrate and Special High Grade zinc on a regular basis.

IZA Members Contribute:

• Glencore's MRM (Glencore McArthur River Mine) Community Benefits Trust funds initiatives in the Northern Territory of Australia for enterprise and job creation, environment, arts, culture, health, education, social and community development. Established in 2007, the Community Benefits Trust has invested more than $14 million into nearly 90 programs to support social-economic development in the Gulf region.
• Hindustan Zinc has constructed & commissioned Udaipur's first Municipal Sewage Treatment Plant in Udaipur to reduce pollution load entering the lakes in the city.
• Teck's Sullivan Mine, Kimberley, British Columbia was once the world’s largest lead-zinc-silver mine. After the mine closed in 2001, with Teck's support, the community recognized that the surrounding landscape and existing recreational amenities provided the opportunity to develop a tourism economy. Today, Kimberley is a four-season tourist destination with several golf courses, a conference center, and walking and biking trails. In addition to tourists, Kimberley attracts a variety of new business opportunities.

Responsible Consumption and Production

IZA Contributes:

• IZA member companies adopt the Sustainability Charter and Guiding Principles. In addition, IZA has developed partnerships with the Dutch IRBC, ResponsibleSteel, and other commodity associations to make progress towards responsible sourcing certifications for zinc producers and downstream users.

IZA Members Contribute:

• Zinq won the Cradle to Cradle Challenge Award in 2018. Zinc products in building applications (sheet and zinc coatings) hold Cradle-to-Cradle ® (C2C) certificates. C2C is a design concept inspired by nature, in which products are created according to the principles of an ideal circular economy. Certified products are characterized by efficiently optimized production with a maximum of circularity.
• Wiegel was nominated for the European EMAS award in 2017, for creating closed material cycles, and reducing the proportion of hazardous waste for disposal from 70% to 3%.
• New Century Resources Limited  is an Australian base metal development company restarting Queensland’s Century mine operations. Zinc will be mined from mineralized tailings of the former Century Mine production as well as from remaining ore bodies.
• NEXA's Metais Morro Agudo site has managed to eliminate waste. From waste produced in zinc beneficiation process, which was previously stored in ponds, they create agricultural lime powder. The product neutralizes soil acidity and increases productivity, thanks to the presence of zinc in the formula.

Climate Action

Zinc Contributes:

• Zinc saves valuable raw materials and energy resources, thus CO2 emissions, by protecting steel from corrosion. Once the steel construction comes to the end of its useful life, steel and zinc are recycled and used over and over again.
• Thin-wall or foam casting of zinc save weight in cars, thus making them more fuel efficient. Thinner steel sheets in cars are made of high-strength and ultra-high-strengths steel types. Tailor made zinc coatings result in enough life time to realize the weight savings efficiently.

IZA Contributes:

• IZA developed the high fluidity zinc die casting alloy  for thin-wall casting in automobiles, which save weight and increase fuel efficiency.
• Galvanized Autobody Partnership  coordinated by IZA to develop tailor made zinc coatings for new steel types jointly together with the steel industry.

IZA Members Contribute:

• Teck has implemented projects and initiatives that reduced CO2 emissions from their operations by approximately 217,000 tons as of the end of 2016. Projects focused on improving energy efficiency resulted in total savings of 1,550 terajoules since 2011.
• NEXA’s Três Marias site replaced their oil-based boiler with a biomass boiler. Responsible for providing the plant with steam, this new boiler is fueled by eucalyptus chips produced in the region, allowing the site to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. The new structure replaces the need for 18 thousand tonnes of heavy oil derived from petroleum.

Life Below Water

Zinc Contributes:

• Zinc is a naturally occurring element in soils and rock, the weathering process distributes zinc to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, providing nutrition for plants, animals and human beings.

IZA Contributes:

• Research projects undertaken with academic and regulatory authorities develop tools that help scientists predict zinc bioavailability in different environmental conditions and matrices.

IZA Members Contribute:

• Boliden through a long-term commitment to environmental protection has returned the Sørfjorden fjord adjacent to their Odda zinc smelter to near pre-industrial conditions through a long-term commitment to environmental protection.
• Teck committed $12.5 million in 2012 to the Vancouver Aquarium in support of its conservation, research and education efforts to advance water stewardship. The funding helps provide educational programming and research focused on conservation issues principally related to water and aquatic habits.

Life on Land

Zinc Contributes:

• Zinc is a naturally occurring element in soils and rock, the weathering process distributes zinc to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, providing nutrition for plants, animals and human beings.

IZA Contributes:

• Research projects undertaken with academic and regulatory authorities develop tools that help scientists predict zinc bioavailability in different environmental conditions and matrices.

IZA Members Contribute:

• Hindustan Zinc Limited made a conservation plan to protect peacock and to increase awareness among the people of the nearby village about national bird conservation. A boundary wall was erected around the area to provide a safe and protected environment for the endangered birds and a dense area of trees was planted to provide high branches for shelter and habitat for the peacocks. HZL has also planted tree species which are conducive to the breeding of insects and reptiles on which the Peacocks feed.
• Teck's reclamation activities, which are managed by environmental officers at each operation, focus on conserving biodiversity. This work includes the development of diverse wildlife habitats, annual wildlife surveys and aerial seeding in mined-out areas. Their goal is to create a positive legacy for the environment and nearby communities by recreating the natural habitats that existed before their operations began.

Peace and Justice

IZA Members Contribute:

• Teck has carried out Human Rights Assessments at all operations to identify and analyze the presence of human rights risks and potential impacts. The process was based on the engagement of multi-disciplinary groups at each operation, including those drawn from Environment, Procurement, Communities and Human Resources.
• Member companies of IZA, such as Teck, Boliden, Lundin Mining, Glencore, Penoles, Hindustan Zinc, and MMG engage in and support the work being done to fight corruption by supporting international frameworks such as the United Nations Global Compact and/or the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

Partnerships for the Goals

IZA Contributes:

• IZA provides an effective framework for knowledge building and creating a network among zinc experts through conferences and initiatives.
• The SDG Sector Roadmap for the global zinc industry demonstrates how the zinc industry, particularly at the sector level, as well as through individual member company activities, can maximize contribution to the UN SDG's.
• Technical conferences on zinc die casting and corrosion protection provide experts with the best available toolbox for an efficient use of zinc in applications that contribute to the SDGs, such as corrosion protection and, renewable energy generation.
• Galvanized Autobody Partnership project connects the global steel industry with the global zinc industry and with science. The GAP network assures that, for every innovative steel type tailor-made, corrosion protection exists.
• Zinc Nutrient Initiative by IZA seeks to address the critical and linked issue of zinc deficiency in soils, crops and humans with the long-term and sustainable solution of zinc-fortified fertilizers to improve food and nutrition security, ultimately improving human health. ZNI has had projects in many parts of the world including Thailand, Peru, Brazil, and Mexico.  Ongoing activities include partnerships/projects with the World Bank in India, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) in Bangladesh, and the National Agro-Tech Extension and Service Center (NATESC) in China.