Dimitar Tsotsorkov, chairperson of the supervisory board of Bulgarian copper mining and processing company Asarel-Medet, is among the ten business leaders awarded as pioneers in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) this year. He reached the final round of the global competition having become an SDG Pioneer in the national competition conducted by the UN Global Compact Network Bulgaria.

The ten world business leaders for 2022 were announced during the UN Global Compact Leader Summit in New York on June 2. They were nominated from among national winners by a committee consisting of representatives of civil society, academia, the UN Global Compact, the UN administration and previous SDG Pioneers winners, the international organization announced.

As a representative of Bulgaria, Dimitar Tsotsorkov was acknowledged in the category of digital transformation for the contribution that innovative solutions bring to achieving the SDGs in industry and the impact that technological progress exercises on environmental protection. The global award has been bestowed every year since 2016 and he is the first manager of a mining company in the world to have won the prestigious award so far.

"I would like to thank the entire team of Asarel-Medet, because this is an acknowledgement of the efforts, investments and good work of all our colleagues! The UN Global Compact Award shows that old time stereotypes about mining can be broken since our industry is not only a background, but also a driver for plenty of innovations, and copper is a fundamental commodity for the development of green technologies of the future,” Dimitar Tsotsorkov said. In his opinion, modern digital solutions allow businesses to manage their processes much more efficiently, reduce their carbon footprint and take much better care of the environment, energy efficiency and resource management.

"We implement the most state-of-the-art integrated solutions, invest in innovations and make the best use of technological advances, but people remain our most important asset because they carry the charge of change and development," the Chairperson of the Supervisory Board of Asarel-Medet said. He pointed out that he accepted the award as an acknowledgement of his father's vision, Professor. Dr. Lachezar Tsotsorkov, for the good work of the entire team and investment in new technologies. "The last two years have reminded us how invaluable words like peace and health are to us. It is most important for us now than ever to be united by shared values and common causes, to be humane and compassionate to other people's pain, to be wise and empathetic," Dimitar Tsotsorkov added and highlighted the social projects of the Asarel Foundation and Lachezar Tsotsorkov Foundation and their contribution to Bulgarian society.

About the new technologies at Asarel-Medet

Digital transformation is among the sustainable development priorities of Asarel-Medet and the mining company, based in Panagyurishte, has state-of-the-art automated systems manufactured by world leading technology giants. Last year, the company took part in the X-Mine international research project, which tested technologies considered the future of mining because they reduce the environmental footprint at the stage of geological exploration and ore sorting. In 2022, Asarel-Medet will be involved in a new international project that will study the critical raw materials for the green transition in Europe.

More about the topic:

https://unglobalcompact.org/news/4934-06-02-2022

https://unglobalcompact.org/sdgs/sdgpioneers/2022/tsotsorkov?fbclid=IwAR0_3IM--oqyuuZ6t-QKZdUsBqGdhr01KvWEGhvo_jpaDXUAWF7M3cmqmxk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80F6R2bnLVA&ab_channel=UnitedNationsGlobalCompact