Impact and dependencies assessment
While Northam Platinum discloses an impact assessment for its Zondereinde Mine 3 site as well as information for its Buttonshope Conservancy Trust, no further evidence that the company assesses its impacts on nature, including biodiversity, within its own operations could be found in the public domain. Therefore, the company has an opportunity to disclose an assessment of its impacts on nature, including biodiversity, in its own operations and its supply chain. Similarly, the company does not disclose any assessment of its dependencies on nature within its own operations or its upstream business relationships.
Key areas and species
Northam Platinum discloses the locations that are in or adjacent to areas important for biodiversity within its own operations but has an opportunity to disclose such locations of its suppliers. While the company discloses some species found next to its Booysendal Conservation, no further evidence that the company discloses species existing in or adjacent to its own locations or the locations of its suppliers could be found in the public domain. Northam Platinum also has an opportunity to disclose the status according to national and international conservation lists of species identified in its own locations.
Ecosystem conversion and restoration
Northam Platinum does not disclose a commitment to ensure zero conversion nor to minimise ecosystem conversion. Furthermore, it does not disclose activities to minimise ecosystem conversion. While the company is committed to restoring ecosystems, it does not disclose details and outcomes of ecosystem restoration projects in areas affected by its own operations or by its suppliers.
Resource exploitation and circularity
The company does not report quantitatively on its group-wide circularity performance. The company does not disclose activities to improve soil health nor does it have a target to improve soil health in its production or sourcing practices.
Water
While Northam Platinum demonstrates it is reducing water withdrawal in its own operations, it does not disclose a time-bound target to reduce water withdrawal across its own operations. The company also has an opportunity to report how much water is withdrawn for its own operations in water-stressed areas and show how it engages with suppliers to reduce water withdrawal. Furthermore, Northam Platinum does not disclose its processes for managing and monitoring discharge water quality nor does it regularly report on water pollution. The company has a strong opportunity to disclose targets to reduce water pollution as well as a commitment to respect the right to water. The company also does not disclose its processes for implementing preventive and corrective action plans for identified specific risks to the right to water and sanitation in its own operations.
Solid and air pollution
Northam Platinum is not reducing the production of hazardous waste. While the company reports on sulphur dioxide emissions for its smeltoring facilities, no further evidence that the company reports regularly on air quality parameters on relevant pollutants identified in relevant regulations and as harmful air pollutants by international bodies could be found in the public domain. The company also has an opportunity to report time-bound targets to reduce air pollutants across the most material parts of its value chain.
GHG emissions
Northam Platinum is not reducing its scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions. It has an opportunity to disclose a time-bound target to reduce its scope 1 and 2 emissions aligned with a 1.5-degree trajectory and report against it. Similarly, Northam is not reducing its scope 3 emissions and does not disclose a time-bound target to reduce its scope 3 emissions. The company has an opportunity to set a scope 3 emissions target aligned with a 1.5-degree trajectory and report against it.
Invasive species
The company has not identified any activities that could lead to the introduction of invasive alien species in its own operations.
