OREANDA-NEWS. Vale is among the 500 greenest companies in the world on a list disclosed by US magazine Newsweek. Ranked 171st, Vale is one of seven Brazilian companies to feature on the list. The 500 companies were ranked in terms of environmental, governance and corporate sustainability aspects, based on dimensions such as energy production, carbon and water, waste generation, reputation, sustainability committee, and auditing. The ranking was produced in partnership with Corporate Knights Capital, a Canadian consulting firm.

Sustainability is one of our strategic pillars. For this reason, our action is underpinned by our commitment to sustainable development in the regions where we operate in Brazil and abroad. Since 2008, we have invested nearly USD 7 billion in activities ranging from reforestation and restoration of degraded areas in the Amazon to social projects involving communities. In 2014, Vale plans to invest around USD 975 million in social projects and environmental protection and conservation programs.

Emissions reduction also continues to be a high-priority topic on the company's sustainability agenda. We are committed to cutting our projected 2020 greenhouse gas emissions by 5%. In 2013, the company obtained the highest transparency score among Latin American companies in an assessment of a questionnaire issued by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and, for the fourth consecutive year, it was included in the São Paulo Stock Exchange's Corporate Sustainability Index (ISE/Bovespa).