Our ESG report details environmental management, including applicable authorisations that support our estimates, closure plans, allocated funding and associated risks. The report is available online under the investors tab.
Exxaro is a leader in business management, with sound ESG principles that deliver sustainable economic returns and tangible benefits for all stakeholders. Everything we do today is geared towards ensuring a safer and more productive tomorrow. Our sustainability is founded on creative and mutually constructive relationships and values shared by our stakeholders. We conduct our business activities to create success for Exxaro and society. From how we mine to what we mine, we steward our natural assets and social capital to uplift our communities.
Climate change resilience refers to our ability to adapt and succeed in the face of direct and indirect climate change impacts. In addition to addressing and managing these risks, it encompasses our ability to capitalise on the strategic opportunities presented by the shift to a lower-carbon, resource-constrained economy. Guided by our purpose, our Sustainable Growth and Impact strategy is designed to ensure we manage the direct and indirect climate change impacts on our current portfolio while ensuring we can contribute to the low-carbon environment of the future.
Exxaro measures, manages and reports energy and carbon data in terms of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. We monitor and report on our scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions annually.
Water is a strategic natural resource for South Africa and our business. We are committed to responsible and sustainable water use, as enshrined in our water management policy, which focuses on efficient water reuse and recycling. The policy aligns with the legislated environmental framework, mainly governed by the National Water Act, 1998 (Act 36 of 1998), supported by the integrated water resource management hierarchy issued by the Department of Water and Sanitation to prioritise mine and waste management decisions and actions.
Exxaro implements various systems and programmes to monitor and ensure compliance at all our tailings facilities. The operation, monitoring and decommissioning of the tailings dams are guided by comprehensive risk-based management and governance systems in line with internationally recognised best practice. The company aligns tailings management with the global industry standard. Risk management is a major aspect of our asset management. It includes risk identification, implementation of controls and assessment of control performance verification. Internal and external reviews, which encompass assurance processes of the tailing dams, are managed and controlled in the company to manage the risks and ensure continuous improvement.
All tailings facilities have a third-party-appointed tailings dam operator facilitating tailings maintenance and monitoring. A third‑party consulting firm conducts all regulatory five-yearly inspections. Dashboards and quarterly inspections are conducted on the tailings dams to promote continuous monitoring. Our systems include training to equip all site engineers with the required technical skills to carry out inspections, including continuous oversight of asset maintenance.
Exxaro continuously develops new initiatives to minimise the risks associated with the catastrophic failure of tailings dams. We engage with industry professionals to ensure that relevant developments in the industry are captured and incorporated into our tailings management framework.
Air quality management is among our top priorities due to the negative impacts of pollutants such as dust and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5 ) prevalent in mining areas.
Our mitigation measures include:
Cradle-to-grave waste management is critical to maintaining our licence to operate, and we have a group environmental policy and waste management standard for hazardous and non-hazardous waste. Our waste management standard enforces a hierarchy that promotes prevention, minimisation, reuse, recycling and energy recovery while ensuring safe waste disposal in line with the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act 59 of 2008) (NEMWA) and supporting legislation. The environmental policy introduced initiatives such as waste prevention, reuse, recycling, energy recovery and safe disposal to reduce environmental and health risks with sustainability in mind. Exxaro’s business units receive a rebate for recycling waste such as paper, used oil and scrap metals.
One of the fundamental goals for Exxaro is to be a low-impact, high-value organisation for this and coming generations. A key aspect of achieving this goal is ensuring that all Exxaro mines co‑exist in harmony with the natural environment in which they operate. This is achieved through positive biodiversity initiatives and programmes implemented at various mines. These initiatives and programmes protect indigenous flora and fauna and ensure the expansion of such species to support ecosystems within and beyond Exxaro's operations. Exxaro is committed to exceeding its biodiversity goals and plans to leave a legacy in which current and future generations can enjoy the benefits of a clean and flourishing natural environment.
Exxaro focuses on sustainable management of land owned by its subsidiaries. Sustainable land management requires a balanced approach of economic application, ecological preservation and the social needs of legal occupiers and hosting communities.
Our business operations review mine closure and rehabilitation financial provisions annually. Rehabilitation plans and closure objectives are amended after environmental management programme performance assessments. We review cost estimates of activities in the concurrent and final closure rehabilitation programme and adjust them accordingly. External auditors visit our sites, review documents and audit the provisions twice a year.
Operational closure, concurrent rehabilitation and land management are part of Exxaro’s operating philosophy and moral responsibility. We actively plan our operations with closure in mind to ensure adequate financial resources are available to meet our rehabilitation commitments.
Silo construction at our newly implemented GG6 processing plant
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