The mineral endowment of a country is for the benefit of the people.
We seek to use the development of a national resource and asset to create prosperous local economies that thrive long after mine closure.
Operating in developing countries around the world for more than 30 years, Barrick has demonstrated that responsible mining can create, deliver and support long-term sustainable socio-economic development.
Three key principles form our vision for community relations and development:
- Partnership – We are firm believers in the principle of stronger together. Uplifting communities and driving development is not a task which can be achieved alone. It requires partnership and cooperation between all stakeholders. Our model is to put local communities at the heart of discussions and the decision-making process, and we strive to help them build capacity and resilience.
- Sharing the benefits – Mines require a large pool of workers and a wide range of goods and services to operate efficiently. We see these needs as an opportunity to share and create value. We do this by focusing on hiring and buying practices that prioritize local communities and our host countries and invest in foundational human rights that prepare individuals to access these opportunities.
- Open, informative, inclusive and timely communication – No one knows the needs and wants of the community better than the communities themselves. We take time to build relationships grounded in trust and put them at the center of our community support decision-making processes.
Based on these principles and Barrick’s sustainable development and social performance policies, the overall objectives of the Reko Diq stakeholder engagement activities are to:
- Identify key stakeholders that may have an interest in the Project, including communities, government departments, regulatory authorities, non-governmental organizations and any nearby industries;
- Keep all stakeholders informed with respect to their specific interests;
- Engage people in decisions that directly affect them; and
- Maintain stakeholder confidence and trust in the Company and its activities through open, informative, inclusive and timely communications.
The expectation is that these objectives will be achieved by building on the relationships established over time and making appropriate adjustments as the Project evolves, including changes in activities, affected communities, stakeholder perceptions and interests, and reporting needs.
Key engagement principles adopted by the Project, reflecting international best practice, are to:
- Provide meaningful information in a format and language that is readily understandable and tailored to the needs of the target stakeholder group(s);
- Provide information early in decision-making processes;
- Disseminate information in ways and locations that make it easy for stakeholders to access it;
- Respect local traditions, languages, timeframes, and decision-making processes;
- Establish two-way dialogue that gives both sides the opportunity to exchange views and information, to listen, and to have their issues heard and addressed;
- Seek inclusiveness in representation of views, including women, vulnerable and/or minority groups;
- Adopt processes free of intimidation or coercion;
- Develop clear mechanisms for responding to people’s concerns, suggestions and grievances;
- Incorporate feedback into program design, and report back to stakeholders.