Published on 01.12.2023 at 12.00
Terrafame joins the Responsible Care sustainability programme
Terrafame has committed to the chemical industry’s global Responsible Care sustainability programme. The Responsible Care programme is based on continuous improvement, sharing best practices and annual reporting.
Sustainability is at the core of Terrafame’s business and a competitive advantage, as the company produces battery chemicals to its demanding electric vehicle manufacturing customers.
“The carbon footprint of our nickel sulphate is considerable smaller than the industry average. However, we want to continuously improve our operations. Responsible Care provides us a good framework”, says Joni Lukkaroinen, CEO of Terrafame.
Most of Terrafame's personnel work with chemical industry processes. In Lukkaroinen's view, it is valuable that Terrafame is committed to sustainability programs that cover the entire production process of the company from mining to battery chemicals production. The company has been a part of the mining industry's Towards Sustainable Mining programme since 2015.
The benefits of sustainability programmes are the openessness and opportunities they bring to learn from the best practices of other companies in the continuous development of sustainability. In addition, both programmes provide a clear and internationally recognised set of indicators for assessing, reporting and communicating sustainability efforts.
In the Responsible Care programme, sustainability work is goal-oriented, and there is strong interaction. In 2022, to commemorate the 30-year journey, the renewed focus areas of the programme categorize activities under different themes:
- Effective voluntary anticipation
- Nature-positive, carbon-neutral chemistry
- Data as a driver of responsibility
- Diverse working life
These are also familiar topics at Terrafame. Proactive anticipation and foresight can reduce safety risks. Terrafame produces battery grade nickel sulphate, which has a carbon footprint that is 60% below the industry average. Terrafame aims to be carbon neutral by 2039. The company develops its operations based on based on continuous improvement. As an employer, Terrafame wants to offer everyone the same opportunities to succeed, regardless of their personal characteristics.
Approximately 100 companies have committed to the programme in Finland
The Responsible Care programme has operated in Finland for over 30 years. During that time, the Finnish companies committed to the programme have reduced their accidents by 91%, energy consumption by 20%, water consumption by 60% and greenhouse gas emissions by 32%.
The Responsible Care programme and the cooperation it creates with other companies in the chemical industry provide an opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences and to share best practices.
The companies committed to the programme report annually on the sustainability of their operations for about 30 different indicators, which are used to monitor the development of sustainability in the Finnish chemical industry. Roughly 100 companies have signed up for the programme in Finland, representing more than 80% of the chemical industry's production and 60% of the industry's personnel.
The programme’s self-assessment tool allows companies to identify their strengths and weaknesses, compare their maturity with other companies across the European sector, and receive a list of areas for improvement and a diverse library of good practices.
What is Responsible Care?
- Responsible care (RC) is a voluntary sustainability programme that was launched in Canada in 1984.
- In the spirit of continuous improvement, it aims to improve chemical safety in the chemical industry and the performance of companies in environmental, occupational health and safety, and security matters.
- More than 70 national chemical industry associations are currently committed to the programme and are responsible for coordinating it locally.
- In Finland, the RC programme is coordinated by the Chemical Industry Federation of Finland, which reports annually to the international umbrella organisation on the development of sustainability in the Finnish chemical industry.
- The Finnish trade unions the Industrial Union, the Trade Union Pro, and the Federation of Professional and Managerial Staff YTN are involved in monitoring and developing the programme.
- More information at responsiblecare.fi.
Terrafame is also committed to other international sustainability programmes:
Terrafame enhances low-carbon mobility by delivering responsibly produced battery chemicals to the global battery industry. One of the world’s largest production lines for chemicals used in electric car batteries is located on Terrafame’s industrial site. The plant is capable of producing nickel sulphate for around 1 million electric cars per year. The carbon footprint of the nickel sulphate produced by Terrafame is among the smallest in the industry.
Terrafame’s integrated, unique and energy-efficient production process from the mine to battery chemicals is located on a single industrial site. It provides customers with a transparent, traceable and truly European battery chemical supply chain.
Terrafame Ltd was founded in 2015. Its net sales in 2022 were EUR 584 million. Around 1,500 people work on its industrial site, half of whom are employees of partner companies.