Sustainable development
With future generations in mind, we carry out and develop sustainable solutions. We are aware of the significance and urgency of realising the principles of sustainable development, which we treat as a commitment and fundamental responsibility towards society and the environment, while at the same time realising diligent corporate responsibility and enhancing economic performance. The sustainable development strategy is ingrained into our vision, mission, and development plan. We continually make efforts to make improvements in all areas of our operations and seek innovative solutions to be implemented into our model of operation with the purpose of achieving a balance between economic performance, energy efficiency, environmental protection, and social responsibility.
The sustainability principle is also implemented in the field of purchasing, which is reflected in reliable relations with our suppliers, in the lower costs and scope of transport, and in the improvement of safe supply within the purchasing chain. This allows us to contribute to managing compliance in our company’s comprehensive footprint.
Environmental responsibility
We effectively monitor and control production processes, input materials, semi-finished products, and final products. By continually making investments, we ensure that technological procedures are updated in accordance with the state of the art, thus reducing environmental impacts to the possible minimum. When performing and planning our production activities, we focus on seeking environmentally-friendly solutions and on the beneficial use of by-products, we reduce water and energy consumption, we reduce CO2 emissions, we are developing a procedure for maximum water recycling, and introducing renewable energy sources as well as solutions for greater energy efficiency into our processes. We are reducing the amount of waste according to the principle of circular economy and are making efforts to recycle, process, and re-use as much waste as possible. We want to utilise the potentials of secondary raw materials and by-products as best as we can. When developing new innovative processes, products, or services, we integrate procedures that contribute to saving resources, enable effective waste management, while also creating new business opportunities.
We act according to the requirements of legislation and environmental permits. Risks are managed with the help of an established ISO 9001 quality system, ISO 14001 environmental management system, ISO 45001 occupational health and safety system, ISO 50001 energy management system and at our Mozirje location, through the registration into the EMAS system.
In our operations, we also handle hazardous substances. For this reason, we are committed to establish and maintain a high level of major accident prevention at our plant and ensure the reduction of their consequences within the safety management system. This commitment is reflected in the policy which we are carrying out supported by our management and in cooperation with all of our employees. The company has established formal protocol to prevent major accidents and reduce their consequences.
We diligently manage light pollution, which is any introduction of artificial light into the environment, thus increasing the natural lighting in the environment.
By carrying out various forms of communication, we try to regularly inform all of our stakeholders of our plans and achievements. Comments and complaints regarding environmental impacts can be sent to our e-mail at varstvo.okolja@cinkarna.si.
We regularly carry out monitoring of waste water, surface water, and groundwater, air emissions, sources of noise, we perform a waste assessment, a reservoir tightness control, and other required environmental status monitoring.
Analyses of wastewater, groundwater, and surface water
We carry out the operational monitoring of wastewater at our Environmental Protection Department and our Quality Assurance Department. We hold the LP-050 accreditation document of Slovenian Accreditation and the power of attorney of the Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning.
The supervision over accredited procedures is carried our by way of measuring reference materials, while results are monitored using control charts. We regularly participate in and occasionally organise internationally inter-laboratory comparisons, which yield excellent results. The monitoring of groundwater and surface water is carried out by an authorised contractor. We also perform a large number of measurements and analyses for the purpose of developing new technological procedures and controlling the performance of existing ones.
Control over air emissions and air quality monitoring
Air emissions (SOx, H2S, dust and other parameters) are monitored by way of regular operational monitoring carried out by an authorised contractor. At certain sites, we have also installed stationary dust monitoring devices for measuring dust and SO2. We occasionally perform control dust measurements using portable measuring devices.
The quality of outside air is monitored at measuring stations at three locations. We measure PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations, SO2, air temperature, precipitation amount, pressure, wind direction and speed, etc.
TDMA – Titanium Dioxide Manufacturers Association
As of 2005, we have been members of TDMA/Titanium Dioxide Manufacturers Association, which strives to provide responsible, safe, and sustainable TiO2 production, which is also the driving force behind our production activities. More about association you can read on following link: www.tdma.info
Responsible Care Programme
We are a member of the Group for the Programme for Responsible Care (Program odgovornega ravnanja® – POR), which has been operating within the Association of Chemical Industries of Slovenia since 1998. Every year, we meet all of our obligations, which we prove by submitting a Responsible Actions Report, on the basis of which we receive the POR® (Responsible Care®) certificate every year. More about programme you can read on following link: www.cefic.org/responsible-care/
POR certificate
Ecovadis sustainability rating
We received the ‘Ecovadis sustainability rating’ silver medal for 2021, which assesses sustainable purchasing in addition to environmental protection, human rights protection, employee health ethics. More about business sustainability certificate you can read on following link: www.ecovadis.com
Green Network of Slovenia (Zeleno omrežje Slovenije)
We are a member of the Green Network of Slovenia (Zeleno omrežje Slovenije), which brings together companies, local communities, educational institutions, government offices, and other legal entities that are aware of the significance of sustainable development and social responsibility. More about Slovenian green association you can read on following link: www.zelenaslovenija.si
European Sulphuric Acid Association
As of 2008, we have been members of the European Sulphuric Acid Association (ESA), which is the Cefic Sector Group bringing European sulphuric acid stakeholders together. You can read more about the association on the following link: www.sulphuric-acid.eu
Social responsibility
Our company’s responsibility towards society and our employees is our commitment, which we treat as a key partnership in realising our common sustainability goals. We take into account the high standards of social ethics and we are building a transparent culture of communication, which is the basis for establishing successful connections and cooperation with society. By understanding our interdependence and interconnection, we highlight the creation of a balance between the economy, the business performance of the company, and society. We make sure to provide healthy and safe working conditions for our employees and their further education with the purpose of developing our own potential. We actively and constructively cooperate with the population in the surrounding area and with schools, invest into the development and education of young people, and we promote a healthy attitude of individuals and institutions towards the environment. We promote and support sports, recreational, cultural humanitarian, environmental, and educational activities.
By organising annual competitions for primary and secondary schools, we participate in the education of young people, encourage their responsible treatment of the environment, their creativity, and awareness of the contribution of the chemical industry to our way of life.