Rio Tinto launches sustainability label for aluminium with blockchain

In a press release, the mining giant said that START will help customers meet the demand from consumers for transparency on where and how the products they purchase are made.

The plan is for Rio customers to receive a digital sustainability label – similar to a nutrition label found on food and drink packaging – using secure blockchain technology.

This label will provide key information about the site where the aluminium was responsibly produced, covering 10 criteria: carbon footprint, water use, recycled content, energy sources, community investment, safety performance, diversity in leadership, business integrity, regulatory compliance and transparency.

“Our vision is that our customers can showcase the sustainability of the aluminium they purchase from Rio Tinto to their consumers, delivering full value from our responsible production,” the company’s aluminium chief executive Alf Barrios said in the media brief.

According to Barrios, through START, Rio Tinto will also provide technical expertise through a sustainability advisory service and support for customers looking to build their sustainability offerings, benchmark and improve performance, support sourcing goals, and access to green financing.