Labor and Human Rights
Barrick’s Corporate Social Responsibility Charter affirms our commitment to observe the fundamental tenets of human rights. This commitment is imbedded in our corporate culture and is aligned with the principles in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. All our employees are to be treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and freedom from discrimination for all our employees and contractors, to uphold the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labor and to support the effective abolition of child labor. Our commitment to these rights led to Barrick becoming a signatory to the UN Global Compact in 2005. Please see the tables below for current data on our response to human rights.
Regions Identified As Having Significant
Risks For Incidents Of Child Labor
| Region |
Yes/No |
Description of activities/policies |
| Africa |
No |
South Africa – minimum age for employment is 15, Barrick minimum age is 18
Tanzania – minimum age for employment is 14, Barrick minimum age is 18 |
| Australia Pacific |
No |
No significant risk in this region |
| North America |
No |
US Federal Guidelines are followed – minimum age for employment is 18 |
| South America |
No |
No significant risk in this region |
Regions Identified as Having Significant Risks for
Incidents of Forced or Compulsory Labor
| Region |
Yes/No |
Description |
| Africa |
No |
No significant risk in South Africa or Tanzania |
| Australia Pacific |
No |
No significant risk in this region |
| North America |
No |
No significant risk in this region |
| South America |
No |
No significant risk in this region |
We respect the rights of our employees to freedom of association and collective bargaining. We have a number of facilities around the world with unions or bargaining associations. We have worked and continue to work closely with these groups over the years to develop and manage effective labor relations programs. Please see the table below for current data regarding our response to freedom of association.
Regions Identified As Having Significant Risks to
Freedom Of Association
| Region |
Yes/No |
Description |
| Africa |
No |
South Africa – freedom of association laws enacted
Tanzania – Barrick supports formation of unions and freedom of association. Union representatives are on site.No significant risk in South Africa or Tanzania |
| Australia Pacific |
No |
No significant risk in this region |
| North America |
No |
No significant risk in this region |
| South America |
No |
No significant risk in this region |
Employees Belonging to Labor Associations
or Unions in 2007
| Region |
Percentage of Unionized
Employees in Region |
Description |
| Africa |
35% |
3 of 3 operations |
| Australia Pacific |
27%* |
3 of 10 operations |
| North America |
2% |
1 of 10 operations |
| South America |
38% |
3 of 4 operations |
* data revised due to inaccuracies in previous years
Breakdown of Total Workforce by Employment Type and Region - 2007
|
Region |
Employees |
Contractors |
|
Africa |
3,400 |
2,900 |
|
Australia Pacific |
5,200 |
3,400 |
|
North America |
4,900 |
1,200 |
|
South America |
3,000 |
4,500 |
Female Percent of Workforce in 2007
|
Region |
Managers /
Supervisory |
Professional /
Administrative |
Operations /
Technical |
| Africa |
7% |
5% |
2.4% |
| Australia Pacific |
10% |
18% |
5% |
| North America |
8% |
32% |
10% |
| South America |
7% |
11.5% |
9% |
During major changes to our operations, we keep our employees informed through the quarterly Barrick News, targeted newsletters, on-line information sessions, and face-to-face meetings at each site as necessary.