The Directors of the Company have made a strategic commitment to sustainable development on the determined belief that this commitment will result in shared value. The Directors recognize the importance of integrating the social, environmental, regulatory and economic responsibilities of the Company. The result of this integration can be referred to as sustainable development. The accepted definition of sustainable development is that of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (Source: Mintzer, 1992)
The Directors have adopted the Sustainable Development Principles defined in the Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development (MMSD) Report 2002, to work through all potential social, environmental and governance concerns. The Principles aim to find a point of balance with economic concerns in recognition that each is inter-dependent and therefore requires an integrated approach to implementation and management. The Principles allow for flexibility within defined parameters and can be applied to all phases of the exploration, development and production of natural resources.
The Directors have undertaken to work in collaboration with government and inter-government organizations to ensure social, environmental, governance and economic concerns are considered in a way, which is consistent within the context of community priorities. In this way, the Company will contribute positively to sustainable development and demonstrate continued improvement in its own application of the Principles.
The Sustainable Development Principles can be downloaded by clicking on the associated link: