The Company understands the importance of having robust governance mechanisms to ensure ESG and sustainability issues are discussed and addressed at the local level and more broadly at the corporate level.
We have an ESG Committee which provides a formal and transparent mechanism for the Board to assist the Company to develop and revise Group ESG and sustainability policies. The committee provides support in managing risks relating to occupational and community health and safety, environmental performance and compliance, social performance, stakeholder relations and political risk. The ESG Committee also provides advice and guidance on relevant aspects of the licence to operate including strategies on security, procurement, tax and human resources. The ESG Committee meets quarterly and is currently chaired by Adrian Mill, a Senegal-based ESG and sustainability specialist.
Further, our health, safety, environment and community (‘HSEC’) teams from our sites have weekly scheduled meetings to run through key areas of our overall ESG progress and risk areas at our sites.
World Gold Council
The World Gold Council (the ‘’WGC’’) launched the Responsible Gold Mining Principles (the ‘’RGMPs’’) in September 2019, an overarching framework that represent international best practices in exploration, operation and closure of gold mines. Hummingbird Resources plc joined the WGC as a member company in June 2020, and on 4th September 2020, as part of its support of international best practices, the Board of Hummingbird declared its intent to adopt the RGMPs and to work towards being fully compliant in Q4 2022 deadline.
RESPONSIBLE GOLD MINING PRINCIPLES
On 8th October 2020, Hummingbird received its first independent assurance report for Year 1 RGMP conformance. On 3rd November 2021, Hummingbird received its second independent assurance report for Year 2 RGMP conformance. On 15th November 2022, Hummingbird was proud to announce its full Year 3 compliance with the RGMP requirements and received its third independent assurance report, having gone through extensive self-assessment and implementation process, and demonstrated ongoing conformance with the RGMP principles.
Annual reports and independent limited assurance reports can be found in the PDF attachments below.
INDEPENDENT LIMITED ASSURANCE REPORT
Implementation of the Responsible Gold Mining Principles 2023 Annual Report
Independent Limited Assurance Report 2022
Annual Report on the Implementation of the Responsible Gold Mining Principles 2022
Independent Limited Assurance Report 2021
Annual Report on the Implementation of the Responsible Gold Mining Principles 2021
Independent Limited Assurance Report 2020
Responsible gold mining is conducted with respect for the environment and the human rights and wellbeing of our employees, contractors and members of the communities associated with our activities. See summary details of the social and economic contribution of gold mining, and the WGC’s RGMPs detailed in the documents below.
Click on the images to read or download the full reports.
Governance
1 ETHICAL CONDUCT
We will conduct our business with integrity including absolute opposition to corruption.
2 UNDERSTANDING OUR IMPACTS
We will engage with our stakeholders and implement management systems so as to ensure that we understand and manage our impacts, realise opportunities and provide redress where needed.
3 Supply chain
We will require that our suppliers conduct their businesses ethically and responsibly as a condition of doing business with us.
Social
4 Safety and health
We will protect and promote the safety and occupational health of our workforce (employees and contractors) above all other priorities and will empower them to speak up if they encounter unsafe working conditions.
5 Human rights and conflict
We will respect the human rights of our workforce, affected communities and all those people with whom we interact.
6 Labour rights
We will ensure that our operations are places where employees and contractors are treated with respect and are free from discrimination or abusive labour practices.
7 Working with communities
We aim to contribute to the socio-economic advancement of communities associated with our operations and to treat them with dignity and respect. Responsible Gold Mining Principles 02
Environment
8 Environmental stewardship
We will ensure that environmental responsibility is at the core of how we work.
9 Biodiversity, land use and mine closure
We will work to ensure that fragile ecosystems, critical habitats and endangered species are protected from damage and we will plan for responsible mine closure.
10 Water, energy and climate change
We will improve the efficiency of our use of water and energy, recognising that the impacts of climate change and water constraints may increasingly become a threat to the locations where