We believe that materials have been a key element in furthering the progress of mankind, that they are at the core of today’s life and will continue to be enablers for future wealth creation. We believe that metal related materials have a vital role, as they can be efficiently and infinitely recycled, which makes them the basis for sustainable products and services. We want Umicore to be a leader in providing and creating material based solutions which contribute to fundamental improvements in the quality of life

Environment and Society

Umicore recognizes that its commitment to financial success must also take into account the broader economic, environmental and social impact of its operations. We subscribe to the following principles in our pursuit of sustainable development :

• We integrate sustainable development considerations within the corporate decision-making process.
• We implement risk management strategies based on valid data and sound science.
• We seek continual improvement of our environmental performance.
• We actively participate in the management and remediation of risks that are the result of historical operations.
• We facilitate and encourage responsible design, use, re-use, recycling and disposal of our products.
• We engage with our stakeholders and implement effective and transparent communication and independently verified reporting arrangements.
• We uphold fundamental human rights and respect those rights in conducting the Group’s operations throughout the world. 

The RBRC is dedicated to keeping rechargeable batteries out of our nation’s solid waste stream and preserving natural resources.

Rechargeable batteries are commonly found in cordless power tools, cellular and cordless phones, laptop computers, camcorders, digital cameras, and remote control toys. The RBRC recycles the following battery chemistries: Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-ion) and Small Sealed Lead* (Pb).