Capral Achieves Certification Under The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Performance And Chain Of Custody Standards

Capral Aluminium has recently received certification against the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Performance Standard V3 and Chain of Custody (CoC) V2 for the extrusion, warehousing and distribution of aluminium products and services. The certifications apply to all of Capral's 26 facilities, composed of extrusion facilities, distribution centres and trade centres, spread across every state and territory in Australia.

These certifications recognise Capral's commitment to responsible production, sourcing, and management of aluminium products.

‘As buyers become increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of their products, Capral's certification is a significant achievement that reinforces our position as a responsible and sustainable business’, comments Marc Banks, Group ESG & Risk Manager for Capral.

‘It has been a hard slog; these Standards set high benchmarks and are assessed rigorously by third-party auditors. We can now proudly hang our hat on the fact that we are the first Australasian aluminium extruder to achieve certification under the ASI Performance and Chain of Custody Standards. Our Integrated Management System (IMS) philosophy has been 13 years in the making and provided a solid foundation for us to build upon and achieve our certification.‘

With this certification, Capral joins a select group of international aluminium producers and suppliers who have met the rigorous standards set by the ASI.

In this article, we'll examine what the certification means for Capral, its customers, and the industry. We will explore the benefits of responsible aluminium production and how Capral's certification aligns with the growing demand for sustainable products.

What is the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI)?

The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) is a global non-profit organisation that sets standards for responsible aluminium production, sourcing, and management.

ASI works with stakeholders across the aluminium value chain, including producers, suppliers, and end-users, to promote sustainable practices and ensure social, environmental, and ethical responsibility.

ASI developed their certification program through an extensive multi-stakeholder consultation process. It is the only comprehensive voluntary sustainability standard initiative for the aluminium value chain. The ASI Performance Standard V3 and ASI CoC Standard V2 were launched in May 2022 following a multi-year revision process.

Importance of ASI certification

ASI certification is becoming increasingly crucial for organisations, within the Aluminium value chain, wanting to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and responsible procurement. As customers become more aware of the environmental impact of their products, they are demanding more sustainable options and increased transparency from suppliers regarding the origin and effects of the materials they consume.

The ASI Performance Standard defines 11 principles and 62 criteria under three sustainability pillars — Environment, Social, and Governance — to address pressing sustainability issues in the aluminium value chain, such as biodiversity, Indigenous peoples' rights, circularity, and greenhouse gas emissions.

The ASI CoC Standard sets out requirements for creating a Chain of Custody for material produced and processed through the value chain into diverse downstream sectors. Implementing ASI's CoC Standard links verified practices at successive supply chain steps — certified under the ASI Performance Standard — to the products produced by ASI Certified Entities.

ASI certification can help companies to identify areas where they can improve their sustainability practices, leading to long-term benefits for both the company and the environment and, at the same time, providing a robust benchmark for responsible aluminium procurement.

Capral's sustainability practices

Capral Aluminium has a long-standing commitment to sustainability. The company recognises that responsible environmental stewardship is essential for its long-term success and the wellbeing of the communities in which it operates. In early 2022, Capral committed to reaching net zero by 2050. Shortly after that, in June 2022, Capral joined the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative recognising that the organisation would provide robust benchmarks against which it could measure its sustainability and responsible procurement practices.

In November 2022, Capral took an industry-leading position and introduced a lower carbon primary aluminium option into its range — LocAl®, providing Australian window and door fabricators, architects, designers and builders with access to cleaner, greener, lower carbon aluminium for commercial and residential building projects.

Capral has implemented various sustainability initiatives, including energy efficiency measures, waste reduction programs and material recycling. Capral also works closely with its suppliers to ensure that they meet the same high standards for sustainability. These initiatives have allowed Capral to reduce its environmental impact and improve its operational efficiency.

The ASI-certification process for Capral

To receive ASI certification, Capral had to undergo a rigorous audit process that assessed its sustainability practices against ASI's Performance and Chain of Custody Standards. The audit covered all aspects of Capral's operations, including production processes, sourcing practices, and management systems. DNV Business Assurance Services UK Ltd carried out the independent, third-party audit of the Capral's operations.

ASI-certified aluminium for Australian window and door manufacturers

Capral's certification under the ASI Performance Standard applies to its comprehensive range of locally extruded aluminium window and door systems, including AGS, Urban, Urban Plus, Futureline, Artisan and Schüco systems.

‘In November last year, we committed to offering all our window and door systems from lower carbon aluminium sourced from ASI-certified smelters; now we can go one step further and add that our organisation has achieved certification under the ASI Performance and Chain of Custody Standards. For fabricators specialising in Commercial and Architectural projects, access to ASI-certified, lower carbon aluminium systems will provide an immense advantage in winning projects and tenders where environmental credentials matter’, commented Brendon Orth, Capral's National Specification Manager.

ASI's Performance Standard V3, under which Capral is now certified, has recently been recognised by the Green Building Council of Australia's Green Star under its Responsible Products Framework. The Responsible Products Framework is a credit that falls under the 'Green Star — Buildings' category and aims to assess how responsible a product is to drive the supply chain to deliver transparent, healthy, low-impact, and net zero-carbon products that are part of a circular economy.

As an ASI-certified member, Capral can now contribute to Green Star credit points (under the 'Green Star Building' category: Responsible Structure, Responsible Envelope, Responsible Finishes, and Responsible Systems) for the structure of a project.

‘The ability to claim Green Star credit points through the use of Capral's ASI-certified aluminium is a huge advantage for window and door manufacturers competing on commercial projects where Green Star certification is a priority — Capral aluminium systems are currently the only locally produced window and door systems which carry this certification’ adds Brendon.

The Green Building Council of Australia is not the only local organisation that has publicly recognised ASI and its Standards as best in class for sustainable aluminium production. MECLA, (the Materials Embodied Carbon Leaders Alliance) collaboration of organisations from all parts of the building and construction industry supply chain, is actively working with architects, designers and specifiers to advocate for the specification of ASI-certified CoC aluminium in construction projects.

The future of sustainable aluminium production for windows and doors

Capral's ASI certification is a sign of the growing demand among architects, builders and developers for sustainable products and services as consumers become increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their products. As the demand for sustainable aluminium building products grows, ASI certification will likely become crucial for aluminium window and door product suppliers. Capral's certification is just the beginning a new era of responsible and sustainable aluminium production.

For more information, please contact Kellie Moore, Capral Corporate Marketing Communications Manager, at kellie.moore@capral.com.au

For more information Visit The ASI WebsiteConsult the Capral Aluminium member page at www.aluminiumstewardship.org/about-asi/members/ CAPRAL-ALUMINIUM