Corporate Social Responsibility

Why is corporate social responsibility important to Zanaga?

Corporate social responsibility (“CSR”) is integral to the way that a company conducts its business. ZIOC’s licence to operate, access to finance, ability to attract and retain the right employees and ability to maintain good relations with all stakeholders are all closely linked to the manner in which ZIOC conducts its business.

From the early days of exploration, ZIOC developed a basic HSEC management system based on the principles of ISO 14001 and the IFC’s Performance Standards for the extractive industry. This ensured a seamless transition to the Xstrata, and subsequently Glencore’s, systems when they took a managing stake in the Project. The Zanaga Project’s performance is closely monitored via regular inspections and periodic external audits, the results of which are reported to senior management.

Glencore’s Policies

The Project’s approach to corporate responsibility is governed by Glencore’s Framework for HSEC management, which is based on the following structure:

csr_diagram

 

Glencore’s Values statement includes the following commitment with respect to corporate social responsibility:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sustainability as standard
We believe that our long-term success requires us to prioritise health and safety and environmental management as well as the welfare of all our workers, contribute to the development and well-being of the communities in which we work, and engage in open dialogue with our stakeholders.

Safety
Our first priority in the workplace is to protect the health and well-being of all our workers. We take a proactive approach to health and safety; our goal is continuous improvement in the prevention of occupational disease and injuries.

Responsibility
We recognise that our work can have an impact on our society and the environment. We care profoundly about our performance in compliance, environmental protection, human rights and health and safety.

Openness
We value relationships and communication based on integrity, co-operation, transparency and mutual benefit, with our people, our customers, our suppliers, governments and society in general.

Management systems

The Zanaga Project operates Health Safety Environment and Community management systems to practice management systems that conform to the overall Glencore framework. The system is risk based to address all aspects of the Project’s activities and includes regular reporting of developments and progress to ensure that management is able to monitor performance. A periodic flash report is produced for the Project’s managers and joint venture partners. This details the Project’s activities and incorporates information about its environmental, health and safety performance as well as details of local stakeholder engagement activities.

Key performance indicators

  • No Lost Time Injuries were recorded in 2015 and only one Medical Treatment Injury Case was recorded. This is an exceptional result. A total of 65 safety and JSA meetings were held during the year as part of the proactive program.
  • In September 2015, the health centre at Lefoutou was opened and is now fully functional. MPD Congo equipped the health centre with medical equipment, medical supplies, and currently pays half of the salaries of the employees of the health centre every month.
  • Environmental education for 53 employees (52 men and 1 woman) was completed with the objective of achieving awareness and increases in responsibility of employees towards our biophysical environment, minimising our impact and managing environmental risks associated with our business. Themes include rational water management, waste management, climate change, renewable energy, protection of wildlife.
  • A donation to the directorate Departmental Forest Economy Lékoumou, a stock of seedlings from our nursery (100 Millettia Laurentii, 10 Persea americana (Avocado) and 10 citrus (orange and tangerine) during the celebration of the 29th National Tree Day (November 6, 2015) under the theme “plant trees to mitigate the impacts of climate change”.
  • During 2015, 286 community communication meetings took place with approximately 1,106 local stakeholders.
  • Another HIV/AIDS awareness outreach campaign was undertaken in 2015 to increase the awareness of the HIV prevention programme. The HIV/AIDS awareness outreach campaign sessions were attended by 13 employees, and 232 members of the local community.
  • MPD also celebrated the World HIV Awareness day in the last quarter in the villages around the camp. As a result of this communication effort, over 6,110 condoms were distributed at the work place and in the eight villages within the project area over 2015.
  • During 2015, the Project has provided financial support to voluntary nurses working at Léfoutou health centre and to teachers’ assistants via the village parents-and-teachers associations to cover the resource gap in nurse and teacher capacity at Léfoutou health centre and in the schools of the villages surrounding the project.
  • Approximately US$18,837 was spent on various social initiatives, community investment programmes and some in-kind support.

The Project’s Social and Environmental Impact Assessment

During 2015 the Project team had numerous meetings with the Ministry of Environment and significant progress has been made in advancing the Project’s Social and Environmental Impact Assessment.

Management of health and safety incidents

A single case of medical treatment and restricted access to work was recorded in 2015 and no recorded Medically Treated Incident took place in 2015.

No Restricted Work Injury was recorded during 2015, and no Lost Time Injuries occurred. This is an excellent result for the Project, even taking into consideration the reduction in exploration activities at the mine site. The focus for the Health and Safety programme remains on the implementation of the Fatal Hazard Protocols and the 10 Golden Rules.

Risk Management Training

During the course of 2015, a program of risk identification and management training was rolled out at the exploration camp. This training is designed to improve the quality of the Job Safety Analysis exercises that are conducted prior to any work related tasks. It should also raise awareness of changes that can influence the importance/severity of a particular risk.

Supporting local education

As in previous years, the Zanaga Project continues to support the schools and school teachers in the eight villages in the immediate vicinity of the Project camp at Lefoutou. This support has a number of different elements:

  • Payment of 50% of the voluntary teachers’ salaries.
  • Supply of 812 school kits for all school aged children in the eight villages that are within the project area of influence.