Bettercoal Assessment Program
Progress Updates
Uptake of coal suppliers in the Assessment Program continues whilst Bettercoal is working to improve and streamline the Assessment Program with the Bettercoal Code and system. The Bettercoal Secretariat works closely with its Members to engage more coal suppliers in the Assessment Program. As a first step, suppliers complete the Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) in the online Assessment Database. In the last few months, the following companies have completed a Self-Assessment Questionnaire:
• Hazelwood Power – Australia
• PT Bhumi Rantau Energi – Indonesia
• Cerréjon – Colombia
• The American Coal Company – Murray Energy Corporation, United States
• Polska Grupa Górnicza Sp. z o.o. (PGG) – Poland
Following the completion of the Self-Assessment Questionnaire, a Bettercoal approved Assessor conducts a desktop review of the SAQ. The first four SAQs listed above will be reviewed by the end of August, while Polska Grupa Górnicza Sp. z o.o. (PGG) will have a combined SAQ and Site-Assessment by the end of September. Bettercoal Assessors are specialist firms with many years of experience in the mining sector and, through the SAQ, a constructive dialogue is initiated with the goal to reach a common understanding of the mining operation’s performance against the Bettercoal Code.
The next step in the Bettercoal Assessment Program is a Site-Assessment. On the 6th of July 2016, a Site-Assessment was conducted by Green Horizons Environmental Consultants Limited (GHEC) at HJ Banks mining operations in Northumberland in the United Kingdom. The scope included the Shotton Surface Mine and Brenkley Lane Surface Mine. It was the first Bettercoal Site-Assessment that was completed in Europe and the fifth mining company in total, after Drummond Company (Colombia), Kuzbassrazrezugol Coal Company OJSC(Russia), Canyon Coal Pty (Ltd) (South Africa) and PT Adaro (Indonesia).
Bettercoal continues to work with Members, the Technical & Advisory Committee and project team to review, renew and align the Bettercoal Code and System. A sound start has been made to align the different guidance documents, procedures and tools in the system and over the next 18 months we will be finalising many of the documents for the adjusted system.
Stay tuned on this work through our newsletter and visit the Bettercoal website to find out more about our Activities & Plans for 2016-2017. For any questions or how to get involved, please contact Marieke van der Mijn, Assessment Program Manager, marieke.vandermijn@bettercoal.org.
