Responsibility is at the core of everything we do. Behaving responsibly towards people, the environment, and all our stakeholders is an integral part of our culture. We are convinced that this will also have a decisive influence on our success in the future.
Our pledge to responsibility
Climate, resources, and people are precious to us. We pledge to always act accordingly. To systematically decarbonize our business. To always look for new ways to conserve resources and promote a circular economy. To prioritize the well-being and interests of the people in our company, in nearby communities and along our value chain. Just as importantly, we expect the same from our business partners, both upstream and downstream.
Due to their high value and unique properties, precious metals have been mined, processed, and used for thousands of years. As this will remain, it is very important that these activities are carried out as responsibly and with as little harm to the environment and people as possible.
With our services, we at Argor-Heraeus are right in the middle of the precious metals value chain. Beginning with various kinds of raw materials, we refine and transform precious metals into highly precise advanced semi-finished and finished products for the luxury industry, as well as bars and coins.
This puts us in a unique position to act as a bridge between the producers of raw precious metals, collectors or intermediaries, and our clients. We consider it our responsibility to use this position to keep driving the continuous improvement of responsible practices.
We actively engage with stakeholders adjacent to our value chain, including representatives from our industry, politics, academia and civil society (NGOs).
This helps us to continuously improve our own approach and work towards greater sustainability, transparency, and traceability in our industry’s supply chain.
We are convinced that our industry can make a successful transition towards more sustainability, but we can only achieve this by working together:
from miners to refiners, processors, and users of precious metals. Our aim is to lead by example and to propel positive change in our industry. We set rigorous standards for our own business and actively encourage the adoption of similar standards along the entire value chain.
Our value chain & stakeholders
We are aware that we cannot achieve the transition toward a responsible precious metals industry single-handedly. That is why we cultivate long-term relationships based on respect, transparency, dialogue, and mutual trust with all our stakeholders.
*Precious metal suppliers are all those who deliver precious metals for a refining service, regardless of whether we purchase the precious metal or not.
Our aim is to lead by example, demonstrating to our stakeholders the importance of responsibility in the way we do business. We share our vision and encourage them to apply the same principles. One way we do this is by regularly discussing topics of interest, as detailed below.
Associations and working groups
- Collaboration on topics of shared interest
- Economic performance
- Ethics and integrity
Civil society representatives (NGOs)
- Accreditations and certifications
- Employment
- Ethics and integrity
- Relationship with institutions
Competitors
- Ethics and integrity
- Employment
- Ethics and integrity
- Relationship with institutions
Customers and suppliers
- Compliance
- Environmental protection and responsible use of resources
- Ethics and integrity
- Quality of products and services
Employees
- Diverse and inclusive workplaces
- Environmental protection and responsible sourcing and use of resources
- Fair working conditions and wages
- Safe and healthy work environment
General population
- Community activities
- Environmental impact
- Ethics and integrity
- Financial contribution to well-being
- Relationship with institutions
- Working and living conditions
Institutions and public services
- Compliance with standards
- Employee health and safety
- Employment and security
- Environmental impact
- Ethics and integrity
- Sustainable mobility
- Tax payment
Workers and communities in our value chain
- Community activities
- Environmental impact
- Ethics and integrity
- Relationship with institutions
- Working and living conditions
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals developed by the United Nations as part of the 2030 Agenda are a universal call to action. The aim is to preserve the planet and improve lives of all people.
At Argor-Heraeus, we have implemented concrete measures to actively promote and apply the SDGs in our daily operations and business decisions.
03 Climate is precious to us
Climate protection is one of humankind’s biggest challenges. Rising sea levels, forest fires, severe weather events, and loss of biodiversity are just a few of the adverse impacts of climate change.
Our business activities result in carbon emissions at our company and along our value chain. We pledge to our responsibility by eliminating our carbon footprint completely.