Environmental goals

SQM developed a sustainability plan created based on the United Nations Sustainable Development goals, which aim to guarantee our commitment to the environment and sustainable development of our operations.

-We reduced Brine extraction by 20% in the Salar de Atacama as of November 2020. Committed to expanding and strengthening our environmental management, we will further reduce brine extraction to reach 50% by 2030. This aspiration aims to position SQM as a leader in sustainability because of its capacity to efficiently manage its natural resources, while caring for the environment through responsible consumption and production.

- We are committed to reducing consumption of continental water at all our operations, using 40% less by 2030 and 65% by 2040.

-We aspire to be carbon neutral in all of our products by 2040, and in lithium, potassium chloride and iodine by 2030.

Through this commitment, we seek to implement sustainable consumption and production mechanisms, while promoting the efficient use of resources and energy throughout our entire production chain, which helps optimize economic costs and reduce social and environmental impact.

Environmental qualification resolution

SQM, as a company with a global scope, understanding the responsibility that its work entails and aiming at the continuity of its businesses in the long term, is committed to sustainable development in harmony with its environment, business ethics and the respect and promotion of human rights in accordance with current national and international standards.

With the aim of consolidating these commitments from the highest corporate level and throughout our operational chain, we publish our Sustainability, Ethics and Human Rights Policy, based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the Principles of International Council on Mining and Metals, International Standard ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems, the applicable standards of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the “protection, respect and remedy” framework of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights of the United Nations, and inspired by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the International Labor Organization, among others.

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Monitoring systems of production processes

In the commitment to provide transparent environmental information of our operation in the Salar de Atacama to the communities and stakeholders, we have designed and implemented a system that allows us to deliver information on water extraction, net extraction of brine and the historical records of environmental monitoring that we carry out in the zone to evaluate and avoid potential effects of our operation in the protection zones.

Additionally, this system allows us to continue collecting information for a better understanding of the behavior of the Salar over time and we make it public as a means of verification regarding compliance with our extraction obligations, based on the established operational rules and with the objective of ensuring the sustainability of the Salar de Atacama.

The purpose of this plan is to evaluate the status of Salar de Atacama systems over time. The monitoring plan entails:

• Measuring the levels and physical and chemical qualities of water distributed among shallow and deep wells, metric rods at lagoon level and gauging stations.

• Measuring meteorological variables at two stations known as “Chaxa” and “KCl.”

This monitoring controls a set of variables using direct, on-site measurements and high-resolution satellite images (QuickBird or WorldView 2).

Check our online monitoring here: https://www.sqmsenlinea.com/

Atacama Tierra Fértil (Fertile land)

In line with the efficient use of resources and to keep contributing with our environment, SQM launched a program in 2008 called Atacama Tierra Fértil, its focus is to help to feed our local towns and grow fruit and vegetables from the driest desert on earth.

These programs are part of our essence given our ranking as the leading fertilizer producer in the world, selling specialty products formulated to produce large yields with low water consumption.

Our staff of experienced agronomists works directly with each individual farmer, advising them accordingly so they will obtain the best possible results. The Atacama Tierra Fértil Program operates in the towns of Pozo Almonte, Quillagua, San Pedro de Atacama, Toconao, Talabre, Río Grande and Socaire.

Designed to provide farmers with technical expertise and support for their crops and production, the program’s staff of multidisciplinary professionals provides tools for innovation to improve crops and sales of high quality, value-added products.