South32 Limited — Ethics Grade C-

South32 Limited receives an overall ethics grade of C- (48/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Defense & Aerospace. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 40
• privacy: 85
• consumer: 70
• environment: 42
• humanRights: 35

Documented incidents (3)

• Australian River Pollution (medium, 2019) — Fined for discharging untreated wastewater from mining operations into the Georges River, leading to increased metal concentrations. This affected local biodiversity and recreational water use.
• Indigenous Heritage Risk (high, 2022) — The company faced criticism for its expansion plans at the Illawarra coal mine, which threatened several sacred Aboriginal sites and rock shelters. Locals alleged lack of genuine consultation.
• Fatal Occurrences at Mines (high, 2023) — Reported multiple fatalities at its South African and Australian operations within one fiscal year, triggering investigations into safety protocols and contractor management.

Documented good deeds

• Low-Carbon Aluminum Transition — Invested in converting the Hillside Aluminum smelter to renewable energy sources to reduce Scope 2 emissions by 50%.

Ethical alternatives

• Fortescue Metals Group — Aggressive transition to green hydrogen and better indigenous engagement records.