Home > Company Performance > Suncor Energy Inc.
Company description:
Suncor Energy, Canada’s largest integrated energy company, recovers bitumen from oil sands near Fort McMurray, Alberta, and upgrades it to refinery-ready feedstock and diesel fuel. Suncor’s strategy is to be Canada’s leading energy company by optimizing our existing hydrocarbon business and transforming our greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint, while growing our business in low GHG fuels, electricity and hydrogen, all enabled by our expertise, long-life resources, integrated business model, strong connection to customers and world-class environmental, social and governance performance.
The Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) protocols reinforce continuous improvement opportunities for Suncor and support the company’s emphasis on sustainability throughout the organization.
For more information, including detailed facility specific performance metrics, please visit suncor.com.
TSM Performance Assessment:
Suncor’s 2023 TSM Internal Self-Assessment Results
The 2023 internal self-assessment results for Suncor’s oil sands Base Plant and Fort Hills mine reflect performance to the date they are published, where feasible, and are aligned with TSM’s annual reporting timeline.
Water Stewardship
Responsible water use is critical to Suncor. A holistic approach to water management is necessary to sustainably develop our oil sands mines and meet our commitments to reclaiming disturbed lands. This approach needs to consider all components of water management, including reducing, recycling, reusing and releasing treated mine water.
Base Plant: The facility has maintained a level A for indicator 1, 2 and 4, and level AAA for indicator 3.
Fort Hills: The facility has maintained a level A for indicator 1, 2 and 4, and level AAA for indicator 3.
Tailings Management
The facilities continue to make progress in tailings management and have worked hard in this area to ensure alignment with the protocol. Work progresses to ensure the company can continue to learn and adapt its approach to tailings management. Evolving guidelines, regulations and community expectations also provide valuable input for improvement opportunities in this area.
Suncor’s tailings management system underwent a TSM external audit in 2022. This audit confirmed a strong system is in place. Following the external audit Base Plant’s Indicator 2 level has increased back to a level AAA as the emergency response exercise scheduled for 2023 was completed. Therefore, level AAA was scored for all indicators at Base Plant and Fort Hills in 2023.
Base Plant: The facility scored a level AAA results for all indicators.
Fort Hills: The facility maintained a score of level AAA results for all indicators.
Indigenous and Community Relationships
External outreach has always been a key part of maintaining Suncor’s social license to operate, and the company regularly engages with communities of interest (including several Indigenous communities). Its stakeholder relations framework outlines the company’s commitment to collaboration, transparency and respect for all views. This guides development of long-term meaningful relationships with those affected by its business, including employees, Indigenous communities and other local community members, shareholders, customers, organizations and governments.
Base Plant: The facility has consistently performed well in this area and achieved Level AAA for all indicators.
Fort Hills: The facility has consistently performed well in this area and achieved Level AAA for all indicators.
Biodiversity Conservation Management
Throughout the life cycle of our projects, we seek to avoid, minimize, restore and/or offset impacts to biodiversity from our operations. To minimize impacts, Suncor leverages scientific research and best management practices while working with neighbouring companies and communities to reduce cumulative effects of development. The company also collaborates with industry peers and multi-stakeholder organizations on initiatives to conserve and reclaim habitat for birds, mammals, fish and other species.
Base Plant: The facility maintained Level AAA for all three indicators.
Fort Hills: The facility maintained Level AAA for all three indicators.
Crisis Management and Communications Planning
Suncor has a strong commitment to crisis and emergency management, ensuring the organization’s risks are identified through an internal risk management system. The company has established response plans and an incident command system is implemented across the organization.
Base Plant: The facility completed all requirements for this protocol and maintained a “yes” score for all indicators.
Fort Hills: The facility completed all requirements for this protocol and maintained a “yes” score for all indicators.
Safety and Health
Suncor demonstrates a strong commitment and accountability to safety and health with policies established and commitments being driven throughout the organization. Additionally, the company maintains strong training, behaviour and culture through extensive programs engaging all personnel in health and safety activities.
The company has experienced poor performance with significant incidents occurring in the last number of years. The company is committed to taking the actions necessary to improve safety across its sites. Among the focus areas are critical controls assurance, leadership coaching, and creating more effective corrective actions with high likelihood of avoiding incidents and reducing consequences.
Base Plant: The facility maintained a level AAA for indicators 1 and 3, a level AA for Indicators 2, 4 and 5.
Fort Hills: The facility maintained a level AAA for indicators 1 and 3, and a level AA for Indicator 2, 4 and 5.
Climate Change
Suncor’s climate objectives depend on decarbonizing our operations and expanding low-carbon businesses. In this way, we are supporting the energy transition in line with social and consumer expectations and contributing to global energy security, which is underpinned by all forms of energy. Both responsible and secure energy is needed to create a more resilient business – and world.
Our focus is, first, on reducing base business emissions with fuel switching, energy efficiency and CCS, and, second, growing profitable businesses in low-carbon power and fuels. Since many of the technologies and projects we are progressing will deliver step-change improvements, our 2030 emission reduction trajectory is not linear. We estimate about half of our 10 Mt objective will be met by direct emission reductions in our operations and the rest will be met elsewhere in our value chain, including through the sale of low-carbon products.
Corporate: Suncor scored a level A for indicator 1.
Base Plant: The facility scored a level AA for indicator 2 and an A for indicator 3.
Fort Hills: The facility scored a level AA for indicator 2 and an A for indicator 3.
For more information, please visit: www.suncor.com.
Facility | Crisis management and communications preparedness | Review | Training |
---|---|---|---|
Suncor Energy Inc. – Corporate | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Base Plant | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Fort Hills | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Facility | PREVENTING FORCED LABOUR | PREVENTING CHILD LABOUR |
---|---|---|
Base Plant | ✔ | ✔ |
Fort Hills | ✔ | ✔ |
Commitments and accountability | Planning and implementation | Training, behaviour and culture | Monitoring and reporting | Performance | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Base Plant | |||||
Fort Hills |
AAA
AA
A
B
C
Tailings management policy and commitment | Tailings management system | Assigned accountability and responsibility | Annual tailings management review | Operation, maintenance and surveillance (OMS) manual | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Base Plant | |||||
Fort Hills |
AAA
AA
A
B
C
Commitment, accountability and communications | Conservation planning and implementation | Reporting | |
---|---|---|---|
Base Plant | |||
Fort Hills |
AAA
AA
A
B
C
Water governance | Operational water management | Watershed-scale planning | Water reporting and performance | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Base Plant | ||||
Fort Hills |
AAA
AA
A
B
C
Community of Interest Identification | Effective Community of Interest Engagement and Dialogue | Effective Indigenous Engagement and Dialogue | Community Impact and Benefit Management | Community of Interest Response Mechanism | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Base Plant | |||||
Fort Hills |
AAA
AA
A
B
C
Facility | Total Direct Emissions (Tonnes CO2e) | Total Indirect Emissions (Tonnes CO2e) | Total Emissions | Total Energy Use (GJ) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Base Plant | 7720000 | 0 | 7720000 | 112400000 |
Fort Hills | 2340000 | 10000 | 2350000 | 38490000 |
Corporate Climate Change Management | Facility Climate Change Management | Facility Performance Targets and Reporting |
---|---|---|
Suncor Energy Inc. – Corporate | ||
Base Plant | ||
Fort Hills |
AAA
AA
A
B
C
Suncor Energy Inc. | 2022 | TSM Letter of Assurance
Suncor Energy Inc. | 2018 | TSM Letter of Assurance
Suncor Energy Inc. | 2015 | TSM Letter of Assurance
Suncor Energy Inc. | 2006 | TSM Letter of Assurance
Suncor Energy Inc. | Base Plant | 2022 | Verification Summary Report
TSM Results 2022 (Externally Verified)
TSM Results 2015 (Externally Verified)
Mining Association of Canada
1100-275 Slater Street
Ottawa, ON K1P 5H9
613.233.9392 ext 316
"*" indicates required fields
*Indicates a required field
You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy.
By clicking submit, you consent to allow The Mining Association of Canada to store and process the personal information submitted above to provide you the content requested.