Policy Statement on Conflict-Free Gold
Barrick is committed to producing gold in a manner that does not fuel unlawful armed conflict or contribute to serious human rights abuses or breaches of international law.
In 2013, Barrick adopted and implemented the World Gold Council’s Conflict-Free Gold Standard. All gold produced and dispatched by Barrick is in conformance with the criteria set out in the Standard and is considered ‘conflict-free’.
Barrick has produced a Conflict-Free Gold Report that describes our adherence to the Standard. An independent letter of assurance confirming Barrick’s conformance to the Standard, published by global leader in assurance and certification Bureau Veritas, is attached to the report.
Methodology for Preparing Conflict-Free Gold Report
Barrick has prepared its Conflict-Free Gold Report in accordance with the guidelines provided in the World Gold Council’s Guidance for Implementing Companies.
Barrick’s Sustainability team was responsible for assessing and demonstrating compliance with the Standard. For each assessment relevant under the Standard, documentation was collected in the form of an Evidence Pack. This package includes such applicable evidence as relevant sections of the past two Heidelberg Institute Conflict Barometer reports for our countries of operation; copies of applicable international sanctions databases; information on Barrick’s use of externally-sourced gold and our due-diligence procedures on this gold; and evidence on the transportation and control of gold from our mine sites. This information was shared in confidence with our assurance provider as supporting evidence to the content in the publicly available Conflict-Free Gold Report.
About the Conflict-Free Gold Standard
The Conflict-Free Gold Standard is designed to be implemented by World Gold Council member companies and other entities involved in the extraction of gold. It was developed after extensive consultation with industry, governments, civil society, and supply chain participants. Barrick was a key participant in the development of the Standard as part of the Responsible Gold Committee of the World Gold Council. The Standard provides a common approach by which gold producers can assess and provide assurance that their gold has been extracted in a manner that does not cause, support or benefit unlawful armed conflict or contribute to "serious human rights abuses" (as defined in the Standard) or breaches of international humanitarian law. Conformance with the Standard is externally assured by an independent third party.
The Standard, in conjunction with other existing business controls and practices, reflects the requirements of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas and the OECD Supplement on Gold. The Standard has also been designed to support refiners in their efforts to demonstrate a conflict-free supply of gold. Conformance to the Conflict-Free Gold Standard satisfies the due-diligence requirements of the London Bullion Market Association Responsible Gold Guidance.
Further information and documentation on the Conflict-Free Gold Standard is available on the website of the World Gold Council.