Kumba Iron Ore Sustainability Profile
Kumba Iron Ore, a subsidiary of Anglo American, is a leading player in the global iron ore industry, headquartered in South Africa (ZA). Established in 2005, the company has rapidly evolved, with significant operations primarily in the Northern Cape region, where it extracts high-quality iron ore from its Sishen and Kolomela mines. Kumba Iron Ore is renowned for its premium iron ore products, which are essential for steel production. The company’s commitment to sustainable mining practices and innovation sets it apart in a competitive market. With a strong market position, Kumba has achieved notable milestones, including being one of the largest iron ore producers in Africa, contributing significantly to the local economy and global supply chains.
DitchCarbon Score
How does Kumba Iron Ore's carbon action stack up? DitchCarbon scores companies based on their carbon action and commitment to reducing emissions. Read about our methodology to learn more.
Industry Average
Mean score of companies in the Iron Ores industry. Comparing a company's score to the industry average can give you a sense of how well the company is doing compared to its peers.
Industry Benchmark
Kumba Iron Ore's score of 59 is higher than 100% of the industry. This can give you a sense of how well the company is doing compared to its peers.
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Kumba Iron Ore's reported carbon emissions
In 2024, Kumba Iron Ore, headquartered in South Africa (ZA), reported total greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 839,000,000 kg CO2e. This figure includes Scope 1 emissions of about 417,000,000 kg CO2e, Scope 2 emissions of approximately 422,000,000 kg CO2e, and significant Scope 3 emissions totalling around 57,039,000,000 kg CO2e. The Scope 3 emissions breakdown reveals major contributions from processing of sold products (about 53,815,900,000 kg CO2e) and purchased goods and services (approximately 791,200,000 kg CO2e). Kumba has set ambitious climate commitments, aiming for a 30% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, relative to a 2016 baseline. This target is part of their broader decarbonisation pathway, which also includes a commitment to achieve carbon neutrality in Scope 2 emissions across their operations by 2030. Additionally, Kumba plans to reduce Scope 3 emissions by 50% by 2040, using 2020 as the baseline year. The emissions data for Kumba is cascaded from its parent company, Anglo American plc, reflecting the corporate family's commitment to sustainability and climate action. Kumba's initiatives align with industry standards and demonstrate a proactive approach to addressing climate change within the mining sector.
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| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scope 1 | 390 | 000 | 000,000 | 000,000 | 000,000 | 000,000 | 000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 |
| Scope 2 | 360 | 000 | 000,000 | 000,000 | 000,000 | 000,000 | 000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 |
| Scope 3 | 25,733,858,000 | 000,000,000,000 | - | - | 000,000,000,000 | 000,000,000,000 | 000,000,000,000 | - | - | - | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 | 00,000,000,000 |
How Carbon Intensive is Kumba Iron Ore's Industry?
How Carbon Intensive is Kumba Iron Ore's Location?
Kumba Iron Ore's Scope 3 Categories Breakdown
Kumba Iron Ore's Scope 3 emissions, which decreased by 1% last year and increased by approximately 122% since 2011, demonstrating supply chain emissions tracking. Nearly all of their carbon footprint comes from suppliers and value chain emissions, representing nearly all emissions under the GHG Protocol, with "Processing of Sold Products" being the largest emissions source at 94% of Scope 3 emissions.
Top Scope 3 Categories
Kumba Iron Ore's Climate Goals (2030 & 2050)
Climate goals typically focus on 2030 interim targets and 2050 net-zero commitments, aligned with global frameworks like the Paris Agreement and Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to ensure alignment with global climate goals.
Kumba Iron Ore has not publicly committed to specific 2030 or 2050 climate goals through the major frameworks we track. Companies often set interim 2030 targets and long-term 2050 net-zero goals to demonstrate measurable progress toward decarbonization.
