Chilean Cobalt names Andy Sloop as Chief Sustainability Officer

US-based mining company Chilean Cobalt Corp. (C3) is stepping up to the CSO plate following the appointment of Andy Sloop as the company’s first Chief Sustainability Officer.

In this newly-created role, Sloop will be a member of the leadership team, responsible for driving sustainability strategies and systems that support Chilean Cobalt's mission to responsibly supply cobalt and other critical minerals for a sustainable future. He will also work closely with the CEO on investor and media engagement and continue serving on the Chilean Cobalt Board.

Cobalt is a critical mineral used in batteries – and therefore indispensable for the energy transition. But the largest cobalt deposits in the world are located in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where exploration and mining have been linked with human rights violations.

Focused on cobalt exploration in northern Chile, C3 says it aims to create a mining operation that emphasises environmental stewardship, social engagement, and corporate governance practices – and Sloop's appointment as CSO fits within this strategy.

Building a responsible cobalt supply chain

In September, Sloop, who has served as an Independent Director, ESG Committee Chair, and Audit Committee Member at Chilean Cobalt since October 2021, announced a strategic partnership between C3, Glencore and US Strategic Metals to explore US-based downstream processing of cobalt and copper intermediate products from C3's La Cobaltera project in Chile.

"This is needed for sustainable, secure, and globally competitive manufacturing of batteries to enable transition to a clean energy economy. This material is highly concentrated in a small number of locations, predominantly where there are significant environmental, social, and governance concerns. Moreover, cobalt demand is expected to outpace mined and secondary (recycled) supply by 2027, with the deficit widening into the 2030s and beyond," he explained in a Linkedin post.

In his ESG Committee chair role, Sloop collaborates with top-level executives to shape strategic direction and drive rigorous oversight of environmental and social governance. In a statement, C3 said Sloop would bring a unique combination of breadth and depth to this role as Chief Sustainability Officer.

Andy Sloop: former Nike sustainability leader

A recognised sustainability expert with over 30 years of experience in developing and managing innovative programs and initiatives across the public, private, and non-profit sectors, Sloop served as the Global Director of Zero Waste & Circularity at Nike from 2016 to 2024. In that role, he drove strategic improvements in Nike's manufacturing supply chain sustainability practices.

Sloop holds a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Pomona College and an MBA/MPA from the Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette University. He is also ASQ Six Sigma Green certified in Quality Management and continuous improvement.

Sloop is also a Strategic Advisor to Airbuild, a cleantech company that has developed a multi-functional bio-panel that sequesters carbon, generates renewable energy, filters water, and produces a value-added biomass material.

Initiative for responsible Mining Assurance

C3 says it applies the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) Principles to guide its work, across the areas of Business Integrity, Planning and Managing for Positive Legacies, Social Responsibility Environmental Responsibility.

In May 2024, the company created an advisory board and appointed Matt Korot, a waste management and circular economy expert and a former board member of SOLVE, an environmental and community involvement organisation in Oregon.