2010
AMBATOVY SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
53
Product Responsibility Targets
2010 Targets for Product Responsibility
Prepare our internal processes so that we are able to
provide comprehensive product information and labelling
once in production.
Plan and commence steps to gain necessary and
voluntary certifications such as ISO 9001.
Put in place quality control systems to ensure that once in
production, our products meet the needs and expectations
of our customers.
Results and Next Steps
q
We were on track by 2010 to have comprehensive labelling
and information ready for production.
q
We are on schedule to complete necessary steps for
certification.
q
We are on schedule for this target.
q
Major challenges encountered
q
Challenges en route to resolution
q
Good progress made toward goal
C6.1 Management Approach to
Product Responsibility
Ambatovy exercises care with regard to the quality of our
nickel, cobalt and ammonium sulphate and the information
accompanying them. This will ensure that they are fit for their
intended purposes and do not pose unintended hazards to the
health and safety of our employees, customers or third-party
handlers. We also ensure the privacy rights of our customers
through our rigorous marketing communications policies.
The Ambatovy quality policy states that we are committed
to supplying defect-free products and services to all our
customers. The policy states that this is achieved by:
3
Understanding the requirements as agreed with our
customers
3
Communicating effectively with our customers and
suppliers
3
Doing our work correctly the first time
3
Supplying products at standards that meet our
customers’ needs
3
Practicing effective communications about safety
and quality
3
Involving all personnel
3
Continuously improving everything we do
3
Complying with applicable government laws and
regulations
Ambatovy is committed to implementing these tactics to deliver
on this quality commitment. A practical way to do this is by
meeting international product standards. In 2010, Ambatovy
began implementing an internal Quality Management System
(QMS) and taking steps to be ISO 9001 certified as required
by the London Metal Exchange. We are working to create a
series of different labels for each product and for each country
where our products will be sold, taking into account the different
languages, unique safety information and standard formatting for
each destination country
.
C6.2 Products and Services
We have initiatives to ensure the packaging and transport
of our products has a minimal environmental impact and
protects the health and safety of those handling them. These
include:
3
Ambatovy employees will operate with the latest
personal protection equipment during the processing
and handling of products and supplies.
3
The wooden pallets used for transportation of
the drums of nickel and cobalt will be from Forest
Stewardship Council certified sources.
3
When employees and port workers handle the nickel
and cobalt, the products will be already packaged.
Nickel in the Modern World
There are thousands of applications of nickel and many
contribute to innovation and sustainability in our daily lives.
Nickel’s main application is the production of stainless
steel, which accounts for approximately two-thirds of
worldwide nickel consumption. Stainless steel that contains
nickel is extremely strong, resistant to corrosion, long-
lasting and flexible enough to be formed into different
shapes. Stainless steel using nickel can be found in
buildings, medical instruments, aviation and aerospace,
cutlery and other household goods and appliances,
coins, rechargeable batteries, portable computers and
communications technology.
C6. Product Responsibility
