OCP Joins World Business Council for Sustainable Development

Bennett Oghifo

OCP Group said it has joined the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), an international organisation of over 200 forward-thinking companies, engaged in sustainable development.

A statement by OCP said, “Connecting with WBCSD’s network will enable OCP Group to continue to enhance and implement its sustainability ambitions in collaboration with like-minded partners, sharing the same goals and values.

Mostafa Terrab, OCP Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said : “We are delighted to join WBCSD and the other member companies who are part of this vital commitment to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world. Our sustainable development vision is deeply rooted in our DNA, as we serve as stewards of the world’s largest reserves of

Phosphate, a vital plant nutrient which is critical to the mission of feeding a growing global population in a sustainable fashion.”

WBCSD President and CEO Peter Bakker said : “WBCSD is pleased to welcome OCP as our newest member. Ensuring 10 billion people can live well and within the boundaries of the planet by 2050 is central to our vision of a sustainable world. This makes OCP a very valuable addition to our membership and many of our projects, especially as we forge ahead with the transformation of our global food system.”

As a world leader in the phosphate and related products industry, OCP Group is implementing a strategy that strengthens its status as one of the most sustainable fertilizer producers in the world, and thus meets the goals of sustainable development (SDGs) set by the UN. OCP has set itself ambitious goals by launching the “Circular Economy” program within its “Sustainability Platform” with an approach aiming to create a green dynamic, as well as to foster symbiosis with the industrial ecosystem and communities. This new approach, which consists of moving from a linear pattern of resource consumption to a circular approach, is concretized through four axes: the preservation of resources, sustainable production, the rationalization of consumption and the valorization of waste in resources. The “Circular Economy” program contributes to better value creation for the Group’s customers and partners, it also benefits its employees and the people living on its sites. Several objectives are targeted: zero conventional water consumption, 100% clean energy, mine reclamation with structuring agricultural projects for communities, control of emissions and effluent management, maximization of low-grade phosphate recovery, implementation intelligent farming, etc.

WBCSD’s mission is to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world by making more sustainable businesses work together for a more impactful action. It argues that collaboration between private businesses is the only way to achieve the impact and scale necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. In this sense, the WBCSD promote business solutions development and best practices sharing between its members. WBCSD participates also in policy-development to create the right framework for business to make an effective contribution to sustainable development.

OCP plays an important role in feeding a growing global population, by providing essential elements for soil fertility and plants growth. With almost a century of experience and revenues reaching $ 5.95 billion in 2018, OCP Group is a leader in the phosphate rock and the world’s first producer of phosphate-based fertilizers. OCP provides a wide range of well-adapted fertilizer products to enhance soil, increase agricultural yields, and help feeding the planet in a sustainable and affordable way.

Thanks to its large-scale integrated industrial development strategy, OCP is present on the entire phosphate value chain and operates on all of its business lines, offering to its 21,000 employees a development path focused on excellence.

Headquartered in Morocco and present on 5 continents, OCP works in a close partnership with more than 160 customers over the world. Committed to best serve the development of Africa, OCP places innovation at the heart of its strategy, in particular to implement sustainable and prosperous agriculture on the continent. As a responsible industrial player, OCP is strongly committed to Africa’s environmental, social and human development. The Group is firmly convinced that leadership and profitability are necessarily synonymous to social responsibility and sustainable development. Its strategic vision resides where these two dimensions meet.