Corporate Social Responsibility

The Corporation’s approach to Corporate Social Responsibility has three dimensions – engaging with central government as a responsible corporate citizen; uplifting the lives of local communities; and minimizing our environmental footprint and repairing the damage that has resulted from earlier mining activities.

Our contribution to socio-economic development is not only in the form of building better roads in its operational areas or the development of more efficient infrastructure, it also covers the Corporation’s investment in social programs that often are not directly related to mining at all – such as community empowerment programs, support of education, and job creation.

An example of job creation is the employment of the local Mangyans in the Corporation’s preparatory work on the Mindoro Nickel-laterite Project in the Philippines. During exploration campaigns, the Mangyans have been employed on an equal basis with other local personnel, and they consider this opportunity a valuable supplement to their survival and efforts to retain their traditional life style.

Job creation on Mindoro Island will also be linked to the industrial development that the construction of the processing and harbour facilities will entail. This development will increase the need for support facilities such as fuel supply and mechanical workshops and provide a multitude of employment opportunities for skilled and semi-skilled local people. Some of these jobs will be directly related to the mine operations (such as transport and stevedoring) and others will be indirectly related (such as housing development and the creation of recreational facilities for on-site staff).

A socio-economic improvement campaign the Corporation has already carried out on Mindoro is the construction of a new and safer hanging bridge across the Aglubang River, which flows close to the project site. In the past, heavy rains made it impossible for the Mangyans to cross the river and sell their products. The new bridge means that they are able to carry out trade throughout the year. The Corporation has also provided financial and materials support for the erection of a new tribal house.

The Corporation has been operating a medical clinic in Villa Cerveza for the past seven years for the free use of the Mangyans and the local villagers. This clinic has a nurse on permanent staff and a doctor on duty three days a week. It also provides free-of-charge transport to the nearest hospital if this is needed.

The job creation which our operations on Mindoro Island will bring about is linked to the industrial development surrounding the construction of the processing and harbour facilities.

The local populations in the immediate environment of the Masara Gold Project on the Philippines Island of Mindanao have been provided with a new developed area to relocate to, as well as assistance with their relocation. The Corporation has also built a new elementary school as part of the relocation program to provide proper facilities for education.

Tree planting is being conducted and several community development projects are underway to provide safer rights of way and local transportation routes for school children. The Corporation has engaged the services of a service supplier to provide telecommunications to the locally hired staff and local residents.

At Nalunaq Gold Mine in Greenland our social program takes the form of employment for staff at all levels. We have developed a residential mine camp, consisting of approximately 100 modular single-occupancy living units, as all workers have to be brought in by helicopter or boat. The camp comprises office and kitchen complexes, a clinic, a recreation hall with a gym, and a warehouse.

A potable water supply system, sewage treatment system, electric power plant and workshop facilities have had to be developed from scratch in the remote mine environment. Telecommunication systems include high-speed Internet connection are available to all via a wireless network.

In the Lefa Gold Corridor in Guinea, direct economic support is provided in the form of taxation and royalties paid to the government. This direct support is backed up by the provision of employment to over 500 residents and a multitude of initiatives – including a new school and other educational support – that improve their living standards.

The provision of electricity to the town is being undertaken by the Corporation in collaboration with the government and another mining company. For the purposes of improved health care we have built a clinic and staff with doctors and nurses in our employ. Recreation facilities for mine workers and their families have been provided in the form of various community centers that host sporting and other events.