In her address, Sue Avinir, Senior Vice President S&P Global Commodity Insights, thanked the award winners and finalists for their resilience and leadership in addressing current economic challenges. They have been able to successfully manage supply chain issues, global lockdowns, and conflicts around the world, she said, while at the same time having extended their commitment to a more sustainable future.
In the "Industry Leadership Award: Precious Metals" category, Heraeus Precious Metals beat out three other finalists. Uve Kupka, President North America at Heraeus Precious Metals, emphasized, "It is a great honor for us to be recognized with this prestigious award. The Industry Leadership Award reaffirms our global leadership in the production and trading of precious metals. My special thanks therefore go to the entire team at Heraeus Precious Metals, without whose efforts this award would not have been possible."
Heraeus Precious Metals has a long history of innovative precious metals chemistry. Today, 2,600 employees worldwide work on the development of innovative products and their applications. The jury was particularly impressed by the novel, low-iridium catalyst developed by Heraeus Precious Metals for PEM electrolysis to produce green hydrogen. PEM electrolysis is a core technology for the hydrogen economy and the switch to renewable energy sources. With the help of the catalyst, the iridium content has been reduced by 75 percent compared to standard catalysts. This enables the production of green hydrogen despite the scarce availability of iridium on an industrial scale.
Furthermore, against the backdrop of a global pandemic and enormous price fluctuations for precious metals, Heraeus Precious Metals succeeded in increasing the company's profitability and further expanding its sustainability activities. The issue of sustainability is central to all business activities and firmly anchored in the corporate strategy: Heraeus Precious Metals has committed to carbon-neutral production by 2025 and to no longer using fossil fuels from 2033. "We have a social responsibility that we take very seriously. Our ambitious goals, which can only be achieved with the support of the entire workforce, underscore this," affirms André Christl, CEO of Heraeus Precious Metals. For this reason, Heraeus' precious metals division has already initiated a wide range of measures aimed at reducing its environmental impact along the entire value chain.
About S&P Global Commodity Insights
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