Committed with the environment:
Codelco certificated under ISO-14001

Codelco complied in 2003 with its commitment of certifying under the International Standard ISO-14001 all its Divisions, operations and Corporate Head Office, completing successfully the most important certification process performed in Chile.

The fact the largest copper company in the world has environmental certificates in all its operations, shows that Codelco complies with the highest environmental standards at international level, a key requirement in the market of the large copper mining and for its long- term sustainability.

The certification accredits that Codelco has a structure to control the environmental impact of its activities, products or services, and that it maintains an effective administration system to improve continuously its performance.

The Environmental Administration Systems of Codelco, based on these international standards, systemize the efforts performed of over ten years to reduce the atmospheric emissions, to handle adequately its solid and liquid waste products, to evaluate the environmental impact of the projects, to maximize the efficient use of resources and to offer reliable information on the achievements and challenges of the Corporation.

Codelco is incorporating the sustainable development as an essential part of its business strategy. This implies the acceptance of copper as a sustainable metal in the world market and the acceptance of its operations for the community. The concept includes the corporate social responsibility (with the environment, the security, the occupational health, the quality of life and the appropriate relationships with its surrounding communities). It proves also its social responsibility with the surrounding communities through environmental improvements and other actions that increase their quality of life, in the framework of its strategic program Good Neighbor.

Environmental certificates ISO-14001

• The former Radomiro Tomic Division, currently part of the Codelco Norte Division, managed to certify its environmental standards under ISO-14.001 at the end of the year 2001. The British company Aspects Moody Certification supplied the certificate on January 8, 2002.
• Andina Division certified on December 3, 2002, according to the Spanish company Aenor.
• On April 25, 2003, the British company Aspects Moody Certification certified the environmental system of the Exploration Management.
• Codelco Norte Division (for the former Division Chuquicamata) was certified on May 28, 2003 by the company Aspects Moody Certification.
• The Corporate Head Office received its certificate on June 11, 2003 by the company Aspects Moody Certification.
• Salvador Division was certified on June 29, 2003 by the German certifying company TÜV CERT.
• El Teniente Division was certified on August 26, 2003 by the Swiss certification company SGS.
  

The implementation of ISO-14001 in the whole Corporation, including the Corporate Head Office, is a corporative decision based on several reasons:

• Through certification, Codelco shows that it is working to have an responsible environmental management. Also, it gains greater process and operational control as well as improving in efficiency and competitivity.
• There is a commitment to reduce and control environmental impacts, to develop a preventive environmental approach and to decrease the risks and negative impacts that may affect people, resources and the environment.
• The implementation of an environmental management system is based on a full knowledge of the legislation and commitments that apply to our business, ensuring compliance with the law. This makes possible to fluently adjust to new requirements.
• The ISO-14001 standards will be, sooner or later, a key factor for development and international trade.
  
  

Codelco and the ISO standars

In the late 80`s and early 90`s, the International Organization for Standarization, ISO, fostered the development of several standards of environmental control, which were grouped in the ISO-14000 series.

Since 1994 Codelco defined as one of its priorities to become a company responsible with the environment. One of the lines of action taken was the commitment to incorporate the continuous improvement of the environmental management system, through the adoption of the ISO-14001 standard.


The bases of the ISO-14001 state that any organization, regardless of its activity, size or country where it operates, can have an environmentally responsible management system based on complying with the national law and the continuous improvement of its performance. With the proper implementation, it is possible to obtain an internationally recognized environmental certification.

Codelco`s environmental management, based on the ISO-14001 standard, seeks the systematization of all the efforts carried out in the last years to reduce atmospheric emissions, to properly handle liquid and solid wastes, to assess the environmental impact of the projects, to maximize the efficient use of resources and to offer reliable information on the achievements and challenges of the Corporation.