Nickel Asia builds network of Sustainability Champions

BGC, Taguig – Listed natural resources development company Nickel Asia Corporation (NAC) built a network of Sustainability Champions with representatives from its subsidiaries and community stakeholders to promote sustainable practices as part of advancing the company’s ambitious sustainability goals.

The creation of a NAC-wide network of employees and community volunteers is a result of stakeholder engagement with the objective of connecting to a growing movement of people showing awareness and concern about sustainability – particularly climate action, and efforts to build sustainable communities.

“This is a necessary move to inspire more employees and members of the communities to get personally involved in various sustainability engagements to encourage dynamic participation in sustainable practices,” says Marine Biologist Agapito Cuadra, Jr., a member of the environment department of Taganito Mining Corporation (TMC).

NAC began its Sustainability Journey in 2021 when the company formed a Board-level Sustainability Committee that aligned the entire organization with the OneNAC vision, embedding ESG into the company’s core business and operations.

NAC’s Pathway to Sustainability Ambition started with a materiality assessment, objective setting, and gap analysis to achieve targets, engaging its subsidiaries namely, Cagdianao Mining Corporation (CMC) in Dinagat Islands, Cordillera Exploration Company, Inc. (CEXCI), Dinapigue Mining Corporation (DMC) in Isabela province, NAC clean energy arm Emerging Power, Inc. (EPI), Hinatuan Mining Corporation Tagana-an Nickel Project (HMC-TNP) in Surigao del Norte, HMC-Manicani Nickel Mining Project (HMC-MNP) in Eastern Samar, Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC) in Palawan, and TMC in Surigao del Norte.

Initial sustainability programs presented during the launch of NAC’s Sustainability Champions included topics such as GHG emission reduction, solid waste management, water and energy conservation, building sustainable communities through livelihood creation, gender equality, and environmental protection through nature-based solutions.

“To be a Sustainability Champion for NAC is a chance for the youth to be part of activities that turn ideas into action. This inspires us to lend our voice, to be instruments of change for a more sustainable environment and communities,” says Joey Samares, Sustainability Champion and SK Chairperson for the communities of HMC-MNP in Eastern Samar.

NAC SVP for Sustainability, Risk, Corporate Affairs, and Communications and Chief Sustainability Officer Jose Bayani D. Baylon says that sustainability is at the core of how NAC engages with its stakeholder communities.

Underscoring the significance of NAC’s Sustainability Journey to the group, Baylon says that the group should be confident the company’s sustainability ambitions can be achieved because the direction and inspiration to succeed come straight from NAC President and CEO Martin Antonio G. Zamora.