Norðurál is the Environmental Company of the Year 2022

On the Icelandic Enterprises’ Environment Day on 5 October, the SA Confederation of Icelandic Enterprises announced its Environment Award at a ceremony, with President of Iceland Guðni Th. Jóhannesson proclaiming Norðurál as the Environmental Company of the year 2022.

The carbon footprint of Norðurál´s aluminum products is among the smallest in the world, with the company aiming for a total carbon neutrality. Norðurál participates in development and innovation projects aiming for technological solutions to make this possible.

Norðurál offers its customers environmentally friendly aluminum products under the Natur-AlTM brand. It is marketed as Icelandic aluminum, it is traceable from the beginning to the end of the production process and is certified by independent agencies. When considering the process as a whole, from the processing of raw materials to the delivery of the finished product, the carbon footprint of Natur-AlTM amounts to only a quarter of the global average.

In its comment, the Awards Committee states e.g. that the company’s objectives are clear and accessible, with Norðurál’s climate action plan consisting of clearly defined actions that serve as the company’s guide to the stated goal.

“We are proud of Norðurál’s operational achievements and grateful for the honor bestowed upon the company by being proclaimed the Environmental Company of the Year 2022. It is an interesting fact that if all the world’s aluminum smelters were to produce aluminum in the same way as Norðurál does, the global CO2 emissions would decrease by 550 million tons annually. In comparison, Iceland’s total annual emissions amount to 4.5 million tons.

We at Norðurál are constantly working towards minimizing environmental impact and a responsible use of energy and raw materials. In accordance with Iceland’s Paris Agreement commitments, we have set the aim to have reduced greenhouse gas emissions (outside the EU’s Emissions Trading System) by 2030 by at least 40% compared to the 2015 level. Greenhouse gas emissions have already dropped 27% and the amount of waste by 8%. These good results would never have been achieved without the diligence and enthusiasm of our employees”. – Norðurál Managing Director Gunnar Guðlaugsson.