Imerys : launches a transparent and understandable approach to sustainable minerals

For industrial players today, sustainability of resources is a strategic element of their own commercial and compliance agendas for which they need clear and standardized information. As the leader in mineral-based specialty solutions for the industry​, Imerys is wholly aware, and conscious, of its environmental impact and the responsibilities that it brings. As such, Imerys is directly meeting the ambition of its customers to proactively be more sustainable rather than simply meeting regulatory requirements.

Taking an important step forward with a tried and true methodology

Imerys' goal was simple: to map the sustainable potential of its portfolio by ranking product ingredients against established sustainability criteria. This portfolio assessment and development would allow for smarter business and investment decisions and would be able to directly respond to customers' sustainability requests and needs regarding the impact of Imerys products on their value chains. Following this, the methodology would also raise awareness and educate. It is out of these ambitions that the Imerys SustainAgility™ Solutions Assessment framework (SSA) was born.

Through a clearly defined 5-step process designed to quantify the impact and the benefits of individual Imerys products, from extraction to end of life, the framework also differentiates solutions from others available in the Imerys portfolio.

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The SustainAgility™ Solutions Assessment framework in action

• The first two steps of the assessment framework are the Scope Definition & Portfolio Segmentation. These aim to assess products and solutions in a given (or specific) application from a full life cycle assessment perspective.

• Following this, the next step is Sustainable Value Creation and the attribution of an Ecoprofile, which takes a large number of indicators into account and the various impacts during the full life cycle of the product.

• This is then followed by the Market Alignment assessment, where products are analyzed in their end-use application to understand their absolute and relative sustainability performance.

• Last but not least, an overview rating, from "Learner" to "Pioneer", the highest score (more details below later!), is associated to the Product in Application Combination. This allows customers to get the relevant information and a mapping of the portfolio with regards to sustainability and market criteria.

• It is only once the process is complete that we consider that the product or solution has been through the SustainAgility™ Solutions Assessment.

Aligned with the globally applicable World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) framework, the SSA takes a robust, scientific and fully auditable approach that is based on both qualitative and quantitative indicators from Imerys operations and suppliers, as well as publicly available research and feedback from key stakeholders and market players. A product is deemed to have a positive, negative or neutral impact depending on the balance between sustainable value during the use phase and the environmental impacts of mining and manufacturing. Each family of products is assessed by different internal and external experts together with a dedicated in-house team that contributes to improving and reinforcing assessment methodology throughout the supply chain. This team makes product assessments with regards to competitive solutions available on the market to help steer the entire portfolio in the right direction.

"Operationally, the SSA is treated with the same rigor as all Imerys internal processes," explains Emmanuelle Henry-Lanier, Imerys Product Sustainability Director, "a clearly established process, a systematic approach, reviewed by experts on a yearly basis. It covers all business activities, directly addresses sustainability megatrends, is market-focused and wholly customer-centric. Strategically, the SSA represents a new defining chapter for how we do business, not just for Imerys but also for the industry as a whole."

Ambition and responsibility: a Pioneer certificate for sustainable excellence

How can companies be absolutely sure they are using the most responsible product to suit their needs? The Pioneer certificate clearly denotes a product in a given application providing the highest social and environmental contribution to the downstream value chain, while demonstrating a low environmental impact in its production phase compared to its economic value. These highest-ranking certificates are not given out so easily, they represent the pride of Imerys' sustainable innovation and are just the beginning of many fine things to come.