Orica takes top AFR Sustainability Leaders award

Orica (ASX: ORI) was the overall winner for impact and the resources, energy and utilities category in the 2024 Australian Financial Review (AFR) Sustainability Leaders awards.

This follows a $37m investment from Orica, the NSW Government and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation for innovative low-carbon technologies at Orica’s Kooragang Island ammonium nitrate plant in Newcastle, NSW.

The project was one of the largest industrial decarbonisation projects in the country and saw the development of Australia’s first tertiary catalyst abatement technology which reduced site emissions by about 45% and Australia’s total chemical industrial sector emissions by about 11%.

Orica Australia Pacific and sustainability president Germán Morales says the awards are an acknowledgement of the team’s ongoing commitment to sustainability.

“We have been able to demonstrate that economic growth and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand and together, we are shaping a more sustainable future,” he said.

“Now, as we continue our decarbonisation efforts, we will focus on installing the same proven technology at our Yarwun, [Queensland], facility this year.

“This will help to deliver against Orica’s accelerated climate targets to reduce net operational Scope 1 and 2 emissions by at least 45% by 2030, from 2019 levels and is a further step towards achieving our ambition of net zero emissions by latest 2050.”