In the contemporary global landscape, the global response to climate change is propelling the energy sector into a transformative phase, offering unprecedented prospects for the burgeoning new energy industry and igniting exponential demand for new energy minerals. Consequently, the ESG governance of the mining sector and its mineral supply chains finds itself confronting a host of formidable challenges.
The "2023 International Forum on Sustainable Mineral Supply Chain (SMISC Forum), themed on "Strengthen Responsible Mining, Build Supply Chain Cooperation, Accelerate Inclusive Energy Transition" convened in Chengdu City on September 21st and 22nd. The event brought together over 200 domestic and international guests, including experts, scholars, and industry representatives hailing from international organizations, governmental entities, multinational corporations, research institutions, industry associations, social organizations, standard-setting bodies, and audit agencies. They collectively dissect ESG risks within the mining sector and delve into the intricacies of compliance governance in the supply chain, all with the shared objective of fostering a responsible, resilient, and sustainable mineral supply chain.
Tianqi Lithium Corporation, as a member of the Responsible Cobalt Initiative (RCI) Decision-Making Committee, played a pivotal role in initiating the "Joint Action Initiative for High-Quality Development of Critical Mineral Supply Chains" and the "Proposal to Take More Actions for Biodiversity Conservation in Mining Industry". In doing so, TLC reaffirmed its commitment to fostering responsible commercial practices, diligently fulfilling its supply chain responsibilities, and actively promoting biodiversity conservation throughout the mining lifecycle. This commitment is manifestly aligned with the ethos of collaborative engagement with all vested stakeholders to address the imperatives of sustainable development. The forum provided a platform for the exposition of TLC's ESG management practices, further meriting selection as exemplar case studies in the realms of "Low-Carbon Development" and "Community Development."
High-end Dialogue
TLC was accorded a privileged role in the high-end dialogues, a segment meticulously centered on the theme of "ESG Risks Governance and Localization in the Mining Industry". This panel brought forth luminaries such as Zhou Chao, Global Executive Vice President and China President of Ivanhoe Mines; Xie Xionghui, Vice President of Zijin Mining Group Company; Jan Klawitter, Director of Sustainable Development at Anglo-American Resources Group; Zhang Yang, Director of Yunnan Tin Corporation; and Li Zhongning, ESG and Sustainable Development Director of Huayou Cobalt. The dialogue revolved around critical industry challenges, notably addressing "supply chain risks," "supply chain partnerships," and "upstream-downstream collaboration governance.
ESG Risk Governance
Ms. Xiong Wanyu, Senior Vice President of Tianqi Lithium Corporation, took the stage to expound on the subject of "ESG Risk Governance in the Lithium Supply Chain Upstream of the New Energy Industry in the Context of the 'Dual Carbon' Paradigm." Her presentation illuminated TLC's proactive ESG and sustainable development initiatives, guided by a dual-axis evaluation of business relevance and impact magnitude. These initiatives synthesized factors encompassing legal frameworks, technological imperatives, market dynamics, and climate influences, resulting in the identification and assessment of the company's ESG risks. In tandem with risk mitigation, TLC embarks upon systematic carbon management both at operational and product levels, demonstrating proactive leadership in steering the lithium industry's supply chain toward a low-carbon trajectory.
Event Venue
China, wielding the mantle of the primary source of global mineral resource investments, the largest importer, processor, and exporter of primary products, assumes a pivotal role in the construction and governance of the global mineral value chain. Growing numbers of stakeholders acknowledge that the establishment of collaborative governance partnerships across the upstream and downstream segments is the linchpin to averting and ameliorating risks about social, environmental, and governance aspects within the supply chain. It is in this milieu that ESG governance within the mining sector and mineral supply chains grapple with an ever-evolving landscape of challenges.
A Call for Net-Zero Emissions
During the dialogue, Ms. Xiong Wanyu unveiled TLC's latest offering: the “White Paper on Sustainable Lithium Industry in Achieving Net Zero”. Once more, she extended an impassioned appeal to all value chain stakeholders, summoning them to unite in a concerted effort, surmount obstacles, and steadfastly work towards achieving net-zero emissions in corporate operations. Despite the long and arduous road that lies ahead in pursuit of this net-zero goal, Ms. Xiong underscored that TLC, as a responsible corporate entity, remains unequivocally committed to ESG governance in the face of global climate vicissitudes.
