In 2022 Sibelco entered a partnership with BirdLife International, the world’s largest nature conservation partnership focused on the protection of birds, their habitats and global biodiversity.
As a mining company, we are acutely aware that our activities, if not managed responsibly, can lead to valuable habitat loss. But with careful planning, we can create value for nature and ecosystem services through habitat creation and protection within both active and restored mining areas. Our partnership with BirdLife International demonstrates the importance of biodiversity within our sustainability strategy, helping us to develop and restore key habitats with guidance from BirdLife’s conservation experts.
As part of our 150-year anniversary, we have also established a management agreement with Natuurpunt, BirdLife’s Belgian Partner in Flanders, for a 35-hectare portion of our Schansheide quarry in Dessel-Mol. Comprising heathland, grassland, deciduous and coniferous forest, wetland and mudflats, the site will undergo further restoration to become a year-round haven for a range of common and endangered birds including the little ringed plover, northern lapwing, great white egret, grey heron and tundra bean goose.
As well as Schansheide, we have agreements in place with BirdLife’s local partners in several other countries including France, Germany and the UK. Sibelco’s new Sustainability Strategy was highlighted as an example of leadership and best practice by BirdLife International during a presentation at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in December.
