LONDON, September 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Anglo American has been commended by Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) for reducing carbon emissions and mitigating the risks of climate change. The CDP Global 500 Climate Change Report 2013, the world's only global environmental disclosure system, was released today and reveals how the world's largest listed companies are responding to a changing climate.

CDP, which represents 722 institutional investors with $87 trillion in assets, has featured Anglo American in its Global 500 Climate Performance Leadership Index (CPLI) for the 2nd time.  The annual index, compiled by PwC on behalf of CDP, highlights those companies listed on the FTSE Global Equity Index Series (Global 500) that demonstrate strategies committed to improving their impacts on the environment.

Mark Cutifani, Chief Executive of Anglo American, said: "Taking a leadership position in responding to climate change is part being a responsible miner and we are delighted that the CDP has recognised our efforts again in 2013. We are working hard to ensure that sustainability is embedded in every part of our business and focusing on innovation in technology to improve our performance. For example, in 2013 we launched our Sustainability Valuation Approach - a unique methodology in mining and construction industries which ensures sustainability factors are fully integrated and valued in project and investment decisions. Our new water target-setting tool known as WETT and our energy and carbon management program, which we call ECO2MAN, are becoming firmly embedded in the business and both have already made a positive impact."

"As a result we have made good progress towards our environment targets. In 2012 we reduced the amount of energy we used by 5% against our business as usual plan, which saved us $75m in costs. We are on track to reduce our emissions footprint by 3.4Mt/pa by 2015 and we are half-way towards our 2020 water savings target of 14%," Mr Cutifani concluded.

CDP's climate change program is designed to increase awareness of how to achieve efficiencies, realise monetary savings and capitalise on commercial opportunities from the management of energy, carbon emissions and climate change.  Achieving an 'A band' for climate performance is a prerequisite for a position on the CPLI, which is based on a number of criteria associated with measuring, verifying and managing carbon footprints.  56 Global 500 companies feature in the 2013 CPLI.

Paul Simpson, Chief Executive Officer of CDP, comments: "Natural resource scarcity is increasing, the scientific case for action to mitigate climate change is strengthening and the number of investors requesting corporate action on climate change through CDP is continually increasing.  We congratulate companies in the Climate Performance Leadership Index for their pioneering efforts to combat climate change and grow low carbon economies at this critical time."

The Global 500 report including names of companies featured in the CPLI can be found at http://www.cdp.net

Anglo American is one of the world's largest mining companies, is headquartered in the UK and listed on the London and Johannesburg stock exchanges. Our portfolio of mining businesses meets our customers' changing needs and spans bulk commodities - iron ore and manganese, metallurgical coal and thermal coal; base metals and minerals - copper, nickel, niobium and phosphates; and precious metals and minerals - in which we are a global leader in both platinum and diamonds.  At Anglo American, we are committed to working together with our stakeholders - our investors, our partners and our employees - to create sustainable value that makes a real difference, while upholding the highest standards of safety and responsibility across all our businesses and geographies. The company's mining operations, pipeline of growth projects and exploration activities span southern Africa, South America, Australia, North America, Asia and Europe.

http://www.angloamerican.com

SOURCE Anglo American Plc