2021

Participation in the Global Battery Alliance

Aug. 11. 2021
Marubeni Corporation

Marubeni Corporation (hereanfter, “Marubeni”) has decided to join the Global Battery Alliance (hereanfter “GBA”), an initiative founded in 2017 by the World Economic Forum. GBA is the biggest public-private collaboration platform to help establish a sustainable battery value chain by 2030(*).

The vision is as follows :
1. To establish a circular and responsible battery value chain that contributes to the goal of achieving the greenhouse gas emission levels of the Paris Agreement. 
2. To create sustainable jobs around the world by establishing a battery value chain that contributes to a carbon-free society.
3. To promote SDGs by establishing an ethical battery value chain.

Marubeni has grown its presence in the battery industry through such initiatives as acquiring exclusive sales rights to Zambian cobalt in Japan, which it has maintained since 1985, and by trading other critical raw materials for the battery industry. Marubeni has combined this experience with technical knowledge, expertise and a global network in this sector. In February 2021, Marubeni entered into a Strategic Partnership Agreement with Retriev Technologies Inc. Since then, the companies have been promoting a new circular business by which valuable metals recovered from End- of-Life Lithium-ion Batteries (hereinafter, “EOL LiB”) can be reused in the manufacturing of new batteries.

Marubeni will contribute to improving the sustainability of the global society, and aims to establish a new circular business for EOL LiB in the international market through joining GBA.

(*) A sustainable battery value chain: A supply chain from raw materials to battery manufacturing, and can guarantee that child and/or forced labor are never used in the process.

【About the Global Battery Alliance】
Name Global Battery Alliance
Chairman Chairman:Mr. Guy Ethier / Senior Vice President, Umicore
Co-Chair : Mr. Benedikt Sovtoka / CEO, ERG
Co-Chair : Mr. Mrtin Brudermueller / CEO, BASF
Established 2017
Member About 70 organizations
*Mining companies; refiners; cathode, battery, and autmobile manufactures; and government agencies
Website https://www.weforum.org/global-battery-alliance/home

■Related press release
February 17, 2021
Strategic Partnership for Developing New Circular Business for End-of-Life Lithium-ion Batteries
https://www.marubeni.com/en/news/2021/release/00011.html

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