Environmental

Goals and Commitments

Environmental Goals and Commitments

SQM has announced a robust Sustainability Plan outlining clear commitments, time frames and an investment of over US$200 million to deepen its commitment to the environment, sustainable operations and its entire value creation cycle.

The plan was developed based on the United Nations’ sustainable development goals, which contemplate a series of company-wide initiatives that aim not only to demonstrate but guarantee our full and absolute commitment to the environment and the integral and sustainable development of our operations and surrounding communities.

Reduced Brine Extraction

At SQM, Sustainability is a core value that drives us to constantly take on new challenges and commitments that are aligned with the aspirations of neighboring communities, customers, employees and the diverse stakeholders with which we engage. In this spirit, we will reduce Brine extraction by 20% in the Salar de Atacama as of November 2020. Committed to expanding and strengthening our environmental management, we will continue making progress to reduce brine extraction by 50% by 2030.

Reduced Continental Water Use

We are committed to reducing consumption of continental water at all our operations, using 40% less by 2030 and 65% by 2040.

Carbon Neutral

SQM is currently one of the lithium producers with the smallest carbon footprints in the world. However, we aspire to be carbon neutral in all our products by 2040, and in lithium, potassium chloride and iodine by 2030.

Shared Value Creation

For many years SQM has guaranteed safe and inclusive working conditions, while strengthening local economies and developing neighboring communities, thus contributing to the creation of shared social value. Therefore, SQM is dedicated to continuing to enhance systems for monitoring ecosystems near our operations in order to provide a timelier response. SQM is also working to generate less waste at our operations, including that produced by suppliers, employees, contractors and offices in Chile and throughout the world.

High Reporting Standards

By 2030, we aspire to be publicly associated with the world’s green industries and, thus, have advanced in pursuit of this transformation in sustainability through the following measures: a Human Rights Policy; our annual Sustainability Report prepared using the highest standards for ESG reporting and audited by independent experts; a demanding Compliance Program; an Online Monitoring plan for the Salar de Atacama operations; membership in the United Nations Global Compact and adherence to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG); and participation in the Global Battery Alliance, among other measures that we intend to continue expanding. In relation to our annual Sustainability Report, which follows the highest ESG publication standards and which is audited by independent experts, we are incorporated into the measurement and certification of the report using the methodology proposed by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Recently, the S&P Dow Jones Index announced the results of the evaluations carried out and SQM qualified for both the DJSI Chile Index and the DJSI MILA Pacific Alliance Index. Likewise, we started a diagnostic process in CDP; an international non-profit organization that helps companies and cities publicize their environmental impact related to greenhouse gases, the use and consumption of water and biodiversity.

Conoce más sobre nuestro Plan de Sustentabilidad

Carlos Díaz, Vicepresidente de Operaciones Potasio Litio

En SQM desarrollamos nuestra aspiración de Sustentabilidad basada en 3 ejes: soluciones para el desarrollo humano, Nuestra Gente y Nuestro Entorno. Cada una asociada a metas y plazos concretos. En esta línea, seguiremos avanzando gradualmente en la reducción de extracción de salmuera para en el 2030 extraer un 50% menos que los volúmenes actuales; cifra que no afectará nuestra producción de litio. Carlos Díaz nos presenta los compromisos medioambientales relacionados a la producción de Carbonato e Hidróxido de litio.

José Miguel Berguño, Vicepresidente de Operaciones Nitratos Yodo

En SQM, la Sustentabilidad es un valor central que nos insta a asumir constantemente nuevos desafíos y compromisos, alineados con las aspiraciones de las comunidades aledañas, nuestros trabajadores, clientes, colaboradores, y los distintos grupos de interés con los que interactuamos. En ese sentido, desarrollamos nuestra aspiración de Sustentabilidad basada en 3 ejes: soluciones para el desarrollo humano, Nuestra Gente y Nuestro Entorno. José Miguel Berguño, Vicepresidente de Operaciones Nitratos Yodo, nos presenta los compromisos medioambientales relacionados a las operaciones donde producimos yodo, nitrato de potasio y sales solares.

Rodrigo Vera, Vicepresidente de Operaciones Mineras de SQM

El uso eficiente de los recursos para SQM es un compromiso íntegro e irrenunciable que nos insta a fijarnos metas cada vez más exigentes. En ese sentido desarrollamos nuestra aspiración de Sustentabilidad basada en 3 ejes: soluciones para el desarrollo humano, Nuestra Gente y Nuestro Entorno. Cada una asociada a metas y plazos concretos. Rodrigo Vera, vicepresidente de Operaciones Mineras de SQM, nos presenta los compromisos medioambientales relacionados a Nueva Victoria, faena ubicada en Tarapacá y donde producimos yodo.