Our Commitment/Strategy

Adhering to the highest environmental, social, governance and safety (ESG-S) standards is essential to our sustainable advancement of projects that support the vital lithium supply chain and the global transition to cleaner energy. We are committed to continuously improving the transparency and accountability of our ESG-S disclosures.

Environment

As a responsible steward of the environment, Lithium Argentina has a pivotal role to play in supporting the global energy transition and helping its stakeholders achieve their environmental and sustainability goals.

We will examine our use of natural resources and the legacy of our products with the aim of leaving the environment in as good or better condition than when we came to it by focusing on the following:

Water: Water is a precious and sometimes scarce natural resource. Lithium Argentina’s priority is to sustainably manage water resources as guided by its Water Resource Management Plan, by limiting use and safeguarding quality and seeking to improve use efficiency through water reuse and recycling. 

Energy: Increasing our use of renewable energy and reducing our emissions.  With solar evaporation as the principal source of energy for lithium extraction, the overall carbon footprint of Lithium Argentina’s operations is relatively small. Brine extracted from salars is pumped into evaporation ponds and concentrated using solar energy. Lithium Argentina estimates that renewable sources will account for over 95% of its total energy consumption at Caucharí-Olaroz, based on the production of 40,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate per year.

Biodiversity: Lithium Argentina relies on ecosystems for its health and wellbeing, and for maintaining a diverse and healthy planet. Lithium Argentina is committed to reducing our biodiversity impacts, protecting local species, cultures and natural ecosystems, and integrating conservation into the design and life cycles of our projects and operating activities.

Waste: Lithium Argentina manages its waste and hazardous materials safely and responsibly to protect human health, natural resources and the environment.

Social

We pledge to be a proactive member of the community, creating value for local communities and collaborating with them and others to leave lasting positive social impact by focusing on the following:

  • Community wellbeing – Our neighboring communities are rich in culture that we respect and support them in preserving, while helping to facilitate collaborations that may further their health and education needs and objectives.
  • Local economy – we are committed to employing locally and to developing local suppliers.
  • Social impact – We are keenly aware that our neighbors have inhabited the Argentine Puna for centuries, so we want to ensure that when we leave the area in 40 or 50 years, we leave a lasting, positive social impact in line with their needs and priorities.

Lithium Argentina strives to build collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships with the local communities associated with our activities. We proactively engage with these communities throughout the lifecycle of our projects to better understand and address their interests and concerns, and to advance our shared priorities. We are committed to building collaborative and trusting relationships with local communities and recognize that the well-being of stakeholders and communities is essential for success. Understanding local priorities and concerns is central to our approach, and we work in a variety of ways to identify expectations and share ideas.

In accordance with the principles of our Social Responsibility Plan, we have entered into agreements with the communities surrounding Caucharí-Olaroz that aim to promote social development through high-quality job creation, training, and access to medical assistance and other infrastructure.

Governance

We pledge to be a responsible corporate citizen by:

  • Upholding fundamental human rights as defined in the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
  • Expecting and requiring the highest standards of ethical behavior from our people and from those working on our behalf. We do not tolerate bribery or corruption, and we aim to be as transparent as possible in all business dealings and relationships. Wherever we operate, we work to ensure that our business practices are compatible with, and sensitive to, economic and social priorities. Honesty and integrity must always characterize our business activities.
  • Meeting or exceeding the expectations of local, provincial and federal regulators, and maintaining an open dialogue with them to enhance our understanding of applicable laws and regulations, as well as our ability to comply with them.
  • Cultivating and sustaining an inclusive culture that embraces diverse backgrounds and inspires each professional to achieve their highest potential in a supportive and equitable work environment. Our workplace culture embraces diverse backgrounds and empowers each professional to achieve their full potential in a supportive and equitable environment.

Safety

Health and safety excellence is one of our core principles. We seek to prevent, minimize and manage occupational health and safety risks for our employees, contractors and the communities where we operate.

We are currently developing a safety vision that will demonstrate Lithium Argentina’s commitment to health and safety excellence. It will highlight our goal of zero harm through the implementation of industry best practices, risk prevention and regulatory compliance.