Rio Tinto launches START: the first sustainability label for aluminium using blockchain technology

MONTREAL, Canada – Rio Tinto is setting a new standard in transparency and traceability for the aluminium industry with the launch of START, a ‘nutrition label’ for responsible aluminium.

START will help customers meet the demand from consumers for transparency on where and how the products they purchase are made. It aims to empower end-users to make informed choices about the products they buy, enabling them to contribute to a sustainable future, and to differentiate between end products based on their environmental, social and governance credentials.

Customers will receive a digital sustainability label – similar to a nutrition label found on food and drink packaging – using secure blockchain technology. It will provide key information about the site where the aluminium was responsibly produced, covering ten criteria: carbon footprint, water use, recycled content, energy sources, community investment, safety performance, diversity in leadership, business integrity, regulatory compliance and transparency.

Rio Tinto Aluminium chief executive Alf Barrios said “START is a significant step forward for the aluminium industry as the first offering of this kind, setting a new standard on transparency, traceability and responsible production from mine to market. Our vision is that our customers can showcase the sustainability of the aluminium they purchase from Rio Tinto to their consumers, delivering full value from our responsible production.”

The START sustainability label is now available for aluminium purchased from Rio Tinto’s managed operations globally.

Through START, Rio Tinto will also provide technical expertise through a sustainability advisory service and support for customers looking to build their sustainability offerings, benchmark and improve performance, support sourcing goals and access to green financing.

Notes to editors

Rio Tinto is an industry leader in responsible aluminium production. Across its aluminium operations, Rio Tinto’s greenhouse gas emissions intensity is 60% lower than the industry average. In 2016, Rio Tinto launched RenewAl, the world’s first certified low CO2 primary aluminium brand. It has helped to pioneer responsible production standards for the global industry as a founding member of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), becoming the first producer to offer ASI Aluminium in 2018. Looking to the future, the ELYSIS Joint Venture is further developing a revolutionary new direct greenhouse emissions free aluminium smelting technology.

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