Grande Côte Opérations (GCO), a subsidiary of the Eramet Group specialized in the recovery of mineral sands in Senegal, is the latest company in the Group to receive ISO 14001 certification.
On April 7, 2021, GCO was awarded ISO 14001:2015 certification by Bureau Veritas for its environmental management system, which is compliant with international standards. This makes GCO the first mining company in Senegal to be ISO 14001 certified.
“This is a really big moment for GCO. Environmental protection has been part of our values since the start of the mine. This certificate testifies to the steps we’ve taken to continually improve our environmental performance by reducing the impact of our activities.”
Benoît Robitaille, CEO of GCO
This accomplishment validates all of the hard work begun in 2019 by the project team, led by the Communities, Environment & Public Affairs Department of GCO, which involved all of GCO’s operations and support teams, with the support of the Environmental Department at Eramet.
Certification was a voluntary decision made by GCO, with the aim of motivating all personnel and subcontractors to reduce their impact on the ground, water, flora, fauna, and air.
“This certificate is not an end: we need to put just as much energy and heart into maintaining these high environmental and social standards.”
Daour Dieng, Director of CSR and Environment, and Chairman of the GCO Board of Directors
This certificate also marks a new milestone for the Group: all of our active mines now have an environmental management system that complies with the highest international standards.
Environmental conservation is one of the commitments enshrined in the Group’s CSR roadmap, particularly its 12th objective: “Protect water resources and accelerate the restoration of our mining sites by fostering biodiversity.”
“Our goal is to hit our production targets while protecting the environment in which we operate, as well as the interests of the communities near our mines. Consequently, managing our environmental impact is critical. Not only is it part of our values, but our right to operate also depends on it.”
Samuel Dufay, Director of the Environment and ESG Performance, Eramet
In light of its environmental and social responsibilities, GCO recently sought ISO 14001:2015 international certification. It was certified by Bureau Véritas in April 2021.
ISO 14001 confirms that GCO’s environmental management system helps reduce its environmental impact, particularly by limiting pollution, mitigating risk, and engaging in dialogue with stakeholders. This certificate bolsters the company’s proactive efforts to continually improve its environmental performance, in line with best practice and international standards.
