Sustainability, customers & employees

Sustainability shift

Our biggest sustainability impact is through our offering, which helps our customers increase productivity, reduce their environmental impact and become safer. We are doing this by developing products and solutions that require less fuel and electricity, automating mining equipment for better productivity and durability, and developing products and solutions that contribute to a safer and healthier work environment. For example, Sandvik LH518B, the world’s first 18-ton battery loader, reduces heat and emissions underground, helping mines reach their sustainability targets and reduce ventilation costs. In addition, we are recycling cemented carbide for rock tools, which reduces both energy consumption and CO₂ emissions compared to using virgin materials. In crushing and screening we recycle 90 percent of the wear parts. By focusing on logistical planning and using smart tools to track the most sustainable routes, we cut a big amount of emissions. We are also reducing emissions by moving from air transportation to sea and rail. In two years (2017–2019), we have reduced the airfreight for rock tools by 43 percent over and reduced carbon emissions by 40 percent.

Employer of choice

We constantly strive to be the employer of choice, offering a work culture and workplace environment designed to attract and retain exceptional people. We consider diversity and inclusion to be key to our success and, as a global organization, offer excellent possibilities to work in different functions and locations. Health and safety are always a priority. Due to the global nature of Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology’s operations, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our business varied according to geography and timing as the virus spread. 

We introduced robust, site-specific Covid-19 Environment Health and Safety plans, including return-to-workplace risk assessments. Remote working was actively encouraged to help protect those who needed to be in the workplace physically to undertake their responsibilities. Face-to-face meetings and travel were actively discouraged, and cross-border travel was subject to approval.

Customer’s 1st choice

It is fundamentally important that we serve our customers well by having the best services, digitalization and application expertise and are responsive to our customers. Sandvik technology has proven invaluable in supporting customers during the Covid-19 restrictions.

In November, Sandvik, Byrnecut and OZ Minerals announced their mutual achievement of a world-first in teleremote development drilling. The Crushing and Screening division achieved a Sandvik-first by completing remote Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and pre-commissioning of the automation system for two new CH890i cone crushers. We also demonstrated our ability to bring value and serve our customers by signing several large equipment orders, including multi-year service contracts in Australia, South Africa and Ghana.