Human Rights and Informed Consent
Agnico Eagle has incorporated respect for human rights into our management and governance practices and programs.
Our Board of Directors has made it clear that we will only do business in regions where human rights laws are respected and promoted. As a Canadian company, we maintain our commitment to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms while operating internationally, ensuring that all of our employees and communities are treated with respect and dignity.
Agnico Eagle does not in any way support or facilitate child labour or forced labour practices. This applies to mining operations, exploration and other development activities in which we are directly or indirectly engaged. It also applies to all outsourced or subcontracted activities across the entire supply chain. We do our best to ensure that none of our activities result in direct or indirect support of such practices. We will take action to terminate any such arrangement should we become aware that such practices are being supported by one of our outsourced suppliers.
In 2016, Agnico Eagle formally adopted the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VP), one of a series of standards created to help extractive sector companies balance the obligation to respect human rights while protecting the assets and people at their operations.
Informed consent: Agnico Eagle subscribes to the principle of informed consent when working on private land, including aboriginal land. We seek the consent of the land owner; this consent usually takes the form of a formal agreement acknowledging that Agnico Eagle will conduct work in a certain area and under certain conditions.
Feedback and advice:
Stakeholder Advisory Committee
Getting Feedback
We have established a Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) to provide us with feedback on our corporate social responsibility efforts and to complement, and help us make strategic links to our existing local stakeholder engagement activities. This approach also supports our global efforts to engage with our stakeholders on a regular basis and in a meaningful way. The Committee was established was established in 2011 and meets in Toronto annually each fall.
The SAC provides us with constructive feedback from a diverse group of priority stakeholders. It provides advice on building a focused sustainability strategy and a business case for our investments in sustainability. The SAC also reviews our sustainability initiatives – including our environmental and social policies, programs, operational performance, communications and engagement. Committee members are independent stakeholders with expertise in sustainability, community development, mining, disclosure and governance matters. They provide their input and expertise as individuals rather than as representatives of their organizations.
Stakeholder Advisory Committee Members – click to view
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Hugo Asselin
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Full Professor, Director of the School Indigenous Studies
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Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT)
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Laura Baretto
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Consultant / Owner
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Materials Efficiency Research Group
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Gérard Dufour
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President
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Gérard Dufour Consultant Inc.
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Julie Forget
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Vice President
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Transfert Environnement et Société
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Meg French
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Director, International Policy and Programs
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UNICEF Canada
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Isabelle Laprise
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Senior Advisor, Responsible Investment
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Caisse de dépôt et placement
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Bill Napier
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Consultant Former mining executive
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Sandra Odendahl
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President
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CMC Research Institutes
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Michelle McCulloch
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Associate Director, Extractives & Utilities Research
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Sustainalytics
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Progress Against Prior Year’s Recommendations
In response to ongoing feedback from the Committee, we have been working on key priorities – click to view:
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RECOMMENDATION
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STATUS
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ACTION
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Publicly reporting sustainability goals and targets: suggestion for the company to consider disclosing more future-oriented goals and targets. Consider developing long term-goals for community relations and benefits (community development plans and creating shared value)
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In Progress
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In review for 2018
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Connect long term goals to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): To better highlight how the company is responding and contributing to these broad societal goals.
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Ongoing
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We included linkage between our current programs and the SDGs this year (click here to view) and will be making an effort to view program development and implementation through SDG lens moving forward.
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Consolidate and update the Indigenous Peoples Engagement Policy and the Aboriginal Engagement Policy (Canada) to reflect best practice:
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In Progress
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We have consolidated the policies and are currently in the process of reviewing the policy to aligns with best practices and emerging guidance such as UNDRIP, the ICMM Position Statement on Indigenous Peoples and Mining, IFC Performance Standard 7 on Indigenous Peoples, the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) Standard (including section 2.10 on FPIC) and relevant recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
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Develop a clear strategy to improve diversity & inclusion Diversity and Inclusion
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In Progress
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We are reviewing our global corporate policies and benefits programs with the goal of raising the bar for diversity and inclusion at Agnico Eagle and across the mining industry. At the site level, we are studying our policies and accommodation programs to improve and remove barriers to diversity in our workforce. The goal of the review is to be able to inform a clear strategy to improve diversity & inclusion
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Certification standards: Stakeholders are interested in the ethical production and sourcing of metals and minerals, and we are seeing some stakeholder interest in third-party certification for mining that includes exploration.
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In Progress
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AEM is a member of the World Gold Council and fully endorses the principles put forward by the Responsible Jewelry initiative of the World Gold Council and through this means ensures that its product is used in a responsible manner to the extent practical within the management control of the company
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Climate change disclosure: AEM should expect to see increased disclosure requirements on climate change – particularly now that the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures released its final report in June. This will be a priority for environmental, social and governance (ESG) analysts and asset managers. La Caisse de dépôt will soon publish its strategy on climate change and will be asking companies to respond accordingly.
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Cybersecurity – Cybersecurity is a growing threat for all industries, including mining. Agnico Eagle should have a clear strategy and be preparing accordingly.
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Cybersecurity strategy for both short and long term has been developed and executed accordingly across our divisions.
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Develop a framework to monitor the effectiveness of community engagement (2016)
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Ongoing
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The development and implementation of new indicators of performance in Community Relations Engagement is part of the 2017 SD department objectives.
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Increase SD reporting on grievances received. Separate GRI tables from the SD report (2016)
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Ongoing
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These recommendations are being implemented in the current report.
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Shift to aspirational (Zero Harm) safety targets, and develop “leading” performance indicators.
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Ongoing
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The long-term goal is to reduce the occurrence of accidents to none. Zero Harm safety targets are widely stated in all health and safety communications.
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Shift to positive indicators for Health and Safety.
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Ongoing
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Leading performance indicators have been selected and are being followed at each division. Targets have been established to improve performance for these indicators. Development of leading indicators continues.
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Ensure that our presentations to the public are jargon-free and can be understood by as wide a range of community members as possible, and that they cover the technical issues across the whole life cycle of the mining project.
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Ongoing
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Each region, with the support of communication and community relations personnel, is developing a process to review and adapt presentations so that information can be understood by non-experts in the field.
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Establish Community Liaison Groups to provide information to the community on challenging and technical issues.
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Ongoing
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A guide to establishing Community Liaison Committees has been prepared and a critical procedures guide is under development. Community Liaison Committees were created at Meadowbank, Kittila and LaRonde.
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Stakeholder engagement and materiality: Agnico Eagle is committed to addressing the evolving needs and priorities of our business and key stakeholders – including shareholders, employees, contractors, business partners, communities, governments and others.
POTENTIAL IMPACT ON BUSINESS AND IMPORTANCE TO MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS
Engaged in Our Future: Our core values provide a strong foundation on which to achieve our long-term goals to responsibly grow our gold business, continuously improve our sustainable development performance and deliver on our commitments to Agnico Eagle’s shareholders and stakeholders. In all aspects of our business we aim to: operate a safe and healthy workplace, and treat the environment, our employees and communities with respect.
Our business strategy focuses on delivering stable, reliable performance at our mines while building a successful, promising pipeline of projects and, by providing growth and development opportunities for our people.
Our business strategy is centred on three pillars:
- performance: delivering on high quality growth expectations;
- pipeline: ensuring industry best, high quality project pipeline; and,
- people: employing and developing the best people.
Agnico Eagle is committed to achieving these pillars of our business strategy while maintaining a safe and healthy workplace, with minimum environmental impacts, and within accepting communities.
As a global mining company, we have a unique responsibility to ensure we are addressing the evolving needs and priorities of our business and key stakeholders – including shareholders, employees, contractors, business partners, communities, governments and others. A material issue is defined as an issue:
- that has significant current or potential impact on the Company over the next three to five years;
- that is of significant concern to our key stakeholders; and,
- over which we have a reasonable amount of control.
As our business and the challenges we face continue to evolve, we look forward to working with our stakeholders and industry experts on ways to further improve our sustainable development performance and reporting programs.
In 2018, we will review and update our materiality matrix to reflect the changes that have occurred within the Company and in the communities with which we interact.
Crisis Management and Emergency Preparedness
Due to the remote nature of our operating and exploration sites, Agnico Eagle has developed an emergency response capacity at all of our sites.
Training personnel to respond to all forms of emergencies remains a key element of our health and safety programs. Our mine rescue teams are considered amongst the best in the industry. They regularly participate in industry competitions to further develop their skills and share best practices.
These individuals contribute to safety in the workplace by being prepared to respond in the event of an emergency situation at any of our mine sites. Each of our mining operations has its own Emergency Response Plan and has personnel trained to respond to safety, fire or environmental emergencies. Each site also maintains appropriate response equipment.
Security in Mexico
We routinely audit internal security protocols and review security measures at our Pinos Altos and La India mines in northern Mexico – as well as at our other Mexican properties – with expert consultants on a continuous basis. In July 2016, a security incident occurred at our La India mine in Sonora State Mexico when a group of armed intruders forcibly gained access to the mine facilities and left the site with some gold doré bars. During the incident, a security guard sustained a minor injury. An investigation involving local, state and military authorities was conducted. The Company has also undertaken a complete review of the security procedures and enhancements were implemented.