responsibility tO THE ENVIRONMENT
Environmental responsibility is a strategic priority for ICL
In all its activities, ICL has striven to simultaneously pursue interrelated financial, environmental and social goals, while also balancing our current needs with those of future generations. ICL believes the continual fine-tuning of its operations in order to achieve this balance is the key to its continued success over the long term.
As the backbone of its environmental policy, ICL has adopted an environmental responsibility policy that strives, over the long term, to reduce any negative effects of its operations on the environment, including a willingness to make significant investments of financial and other resources. The policy also mandates the continual pursuit of saving energy, land, water and other natural resources and the deployment of environmentally friendly processes.
In 2007, ICL invested ~$65 million in environmental compliance activities which amount will increase to nearly $100 million in 2008. In addition, the company took a series of steps to increase its ‘environmental transparency.’ These included:
appointing top-level management and a permanent committee of the Board to manage and oversee environmental
activities
developing a ‘Center of Excellence’ for environmental activities
implementing a more extensive proactive compliance program
Other environmental actions include:
implementation of Responsible Care programs with the goal of reducing the environmental impact of ICL products
throughout their lifecycle
creation of enforcement actions that verify compliance through the use of both internal auditors and external
monitors
implementation of processes for saving energy and natural resources
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through the transition to clean gases and fuels
rehabilitation of mining areas and rivers beds in coordination with governmental authorities
At the center of ICL's environmental activity is a demonstrated concern for the welfare of the communities in which it operates. The company has established a number of community advisory forums comprised of senior managers, residents of communities in the vicinity of ICL facilities and representatives of relevant bodies to discuss environmental issues and potential joint projects.