TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Roxgold Inc. (“Roxgold” or the “Company”) (TSX: ROXG) (OTC: ROGFF) is pleased to announce that it has published its second annual Sustainability Report “Strengthening Communities”. The report provides an overview of the Company’s economic contributions and environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) practices – with detailed insights into the priorities and key initiatives that shaped the year. An online version of the report is available at www.roxgold.com.
“We are very proud to share our sustainability progress as we continue to invest in our people and communities, promoting their health and safety and building their capacity to thrive and prosper,” commented President and CEO, John Dorward. “As important as it is to operate safely and responsibly, Roxgold’s success is also linked to maintaining strong community relationships. The theme of this year’s report – Strengthening Communities – was chosen because we firmly believe that by committing to, collaborating with and investing in our host communities, we can make a strong positive difference to people’s lives – building the foundation for a successful company for all our stakeholders.”
The 2019 Sustainability Report covers the activities of all operations in the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019. It provides an overview of the key frameworks employed by the company, including the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards and the Equator Principles, and includes metrics aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Standards (Extractives and Minerals Processing), and indicates Roxgold’s contribution toward specific SDGs.
People
- 85% of employees are from Burkina Faso, with 40% from the immediate mine area
- 16,678 hours of training provided to our contractors and employees
- 1,080 formal work area inspections conducted
- No lost time injuries (LTI) with over 3.2 million hours worked
- 70% of plant employees come from our closest community after participating in Roxgold community training programs
Roxgold is committed to having an enduring positive impact on our people and on the communities near our operations. This commitment is tied to the conviction that our presence in host communities should provide employees and neighbours with opportunities for growth and development. Most of our people, including employees and contractors, are Burkinabe. Local employment is a strong expectation of nearby communities and a significant component of our social license to operate. A job at Roxgold gives households stability and the opportunity to prosper in the long term. Our workplace is characterized by a relentless focus on health and safety, and a commitment to continued learning and skills development.
Social Responsibility
- $138 million in local procurement of goods and services expenditures in Burkina Faso
- $656,022 invested in community development activities
- 40 unique projects realized under the community investment program with a 100% completion rate
- 315 consultations with local governments and communities
As Roxgold grows, so do our efforts to work for the benefit of our stakeholders. Our commitment to social responsibility and community well-being leads us to build meaningful relationships with the communities in and around our operations. We make commitments – both formal and informal – to strengthen these communities by investing in the local workforce, supporting local businesses, financing infrastructure development, promoting health and well-being, and helping preserve their cultural heritage. Major projects in 2019 included constructing a library and an administration office at Bagassi high school, refurbishing three classrooms, manufacturing tables and benches for schools, repairing Sipohin dam irrigation canals, and bringing electricity to the Mana health centre and Niakongo and Kaho schools. Our operations add value to Burkina Faso’s formal economy by providing contracts and stable jobs for local people and by helping to expand the revenue base of our host government through income taxation, national social security system contributions and the royalties we pay every time we ship gold.
Environmental Stewardship
- 198 environmental inspections conducted
- No significant adverse environmental impacts or non-compliance incidents
- 15,327 trees planted in 2019 reforestation campaign
- No cubic metres of waste directed to landfills
Roxgold supports a wide range of environmental initiatives across its operations that embody our commitment to protect and preserve the local environment. Water is a highly valuable resource in our region, so water stewardship is especially important. The Yaramoko process plant is designed to ensure zero discharge into the environment and 40% of the water consumption is from recycled water from the tailings facility. Roxgold’s biodiversity management program is designed to: conserve and promote the viability of plants and wildlife; reduce the impacts of mining activities on biodiversity; progressively rehabilitate land disrupted by mining activity; and, together with the community, create actions aimed at protecting the environment within the mine site. Guided by our environmental policy, Roxgold continually monitors environmental conditions in the areas near our operations to evaluate the impacts of our activities and define strategies and plans to address them. We apply best practices to prevent pollution and manage waste based on the principles of usage reduction, reutilization, recycling and elimination.
Governance and Conduct
Roxgold’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics serves as our ethical foundation, underpinning every decision and action. We ensure that each person working on behalf of the Company understands our expectations for exemplary business conduct and commits to upholding them. The Health, Safety, Sustainability and Technical (HSST) Committee of the Roxgold Board oversees the Company’s practices and behaviours, prioritizing how we affect our host communities, the natural environments where we operate, and the health and safety of our people. Roxgold has in place anti-corruption guidelines with strict adherence to Canadian anti-corruption laws such as the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (CFPOA). Our Whistleblower Policy provides confidential and anonymous avenues so that employees, partners or other persons can feel secure in reporting corruption or other concerns about our operations. In the interest of transparency, Roxgold commits to global transparency frameworks such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and provides governments and local authorities with semi-annual environmental and social management reports.
To view or download a copy of the report, please visit: www.roxgold.com/Sustainability/sustainability/default.aspx.
About Roxgold
Roxgold is a Canadian-based gold mining company with assets located in West Africa. The Company owns and operates the high-grade Yaramoko Gold Mine located on the Houndé greenstone belt in Burkina Faso and is advancing the development and exploration of the Séguéla Gold Project located in Côte d’Ivoire. Roxgold trades on the TSX under the symbol ROXG and as ROGFF on OTCQX.
