Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the Bahrain-based aluminium smelter, has achieved an outstanding safety milestone of 6 million working-hours without lost time injury (LTI) on May 26.

A ceremony to mark this historical milestone was held and was attended by Alba deputy chief executive officer Ali Al Baqali, the executive management, directors, managers and employees from various departments, said a statement from the company.

Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa, chairman of Alba’s board of directors, said: “This achievement of 6 million working-hours without LTI, the highest level attained in over a decade, proves that safety sits at the Heart of Alba.”

“I want to thank every employee and contractor for going above and beyond to reach this milestone,” he said.

“As we move into the hot summer months, we want to raise the bar on safe practices to ensure an accident-free summer,” he added.

One of the 1 million-metric tonnes smelters in the world, Alba is listed on both the Bahrain Bourse and London Stock Exchange.

Alba’s product portfolio comprises high-grade aluminium and Value-Added Products that include standard and T-ingots, extrusion billets, rolling slabs, properzi ingots and molten aluminium.

Earlier on April 30, it announced that it had achieved a major safety milestone clocking 5 million working-hours without Lost Time Injury (LTI).

Commenting on the achievement, CEO Tim Murray said: “I am proud to say that Alba has a strong safety and health culture driven by employees’ ownership of safety collectively. As we approach the hot summer months, we have to prepare well and step-up our efforts to ensure that safety is always a priority.”

Murray’s comments came as he, along with members of the Executive Management team, welcomed employees at Alba Gates to congratulate them on the safety milestone as well as wish them a safe and healthy Ramadan.

“With extreme preparation and mutual commitment, we will go beyond the 5 million working- hours and set a new benchmark in safety,” he added.

Earlier, Alba was recognised with the ‘Best Corporate Governance in Industrial Services Middle East’ award by Ethical Boardroom.

The award recognised Alba for its outstanding corporate governance policies as well as its role in establishing and maintaining good practices in transparency across its operations, said a statement from the company.

Shaikh Daij Al Khalifa said: “This recognition from Ethical Boardroom is a proud moment for us and underlines our commitment towards best business practices.”

“Our corporate governance practices are done more through principles rather than rules and for that we thank our board of directors as well as the executive management for their continued support in safeguarding the company’s values and shareholders’ interests at all times,” he added.

Alba was one of the forerunners in the Gulf to establish its own confidential reporting system for all stakeholders as well as a Code of Conduct that outlined the ethical values and principles of conducting business in and, with Alba. 

Also, in 2018, Alba launched an External Grievance Mechanism for all environment and social grievances from external parties and stakeholders.

Ethical Boardroom, a leading international publication on Corporate Governance and Ethics, recognises Middle East leaders who have exhibited exceptional leadership in the area of governance to ensure protection and long-term value for all their stakeholders, it stated.