Friction: Edition 13 | November 2023
FROM THE EDITOR
As we prepare to round out the year that was with our November edition of Friction, we dive deep into Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) and the role it plays in the mining industry.
ESG is on everyone’s minds, and for good reason, with every sector’s ESG policies and approach to sustainability in the spotlight. The mining and geotechnical engineering industry is no different.
This month, we hear from two industry experts in the ESG space, Sustainability Consultant Dr Mahdi Mason and GroundProbe’s Senior Manager - Quality and Continuous Improvement, Neil Cordon.
Dr Mason shares her thoughts on how ESG has become an industry buzzword and, while the terms ESG and sustainability are often interchanged, they are different. She also provides direct insight into how governance is essential and that only through the right processes and work, the right results are achieved. Dr Mason provides examples of how this looks for the likes of tailings dam failures and the steps to ensure full compliance.
Neil Cordon then poses the question: whose responsibility is ESG? He also looks at the race to green transition as well as how the mining and resource sector is front and centre in both the battle to reduce emissions and the scramble for critical minerals to achieve net zero.
This is one not to be missed. Read both their articles below and don't forget to forward this on to anyone you know who has an interest in the ESG space.
We also look at what’s happening in the industry across the globe, from news and trends as well as upcoming events.
Don’t forget to check out Friction’s Associations Directory.
Regards,
Tim Cartledge
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Whose job is sustainability?
Neil Cordon, Senior Manager - Quality and Continuous Improvement, GroundProbe.
Sustainability is the word on everyone’s lips today and for good reason: The effects of climate change have accelerated faster than even the experts had predicted; faster than evolution can keep up with.
In his article, Neil Cordon from GroundProbe looks at the race for a green transition, reskilling and sustainable supply chains. He also proposes that we need to break the problem down into manageable pieces and start with the end in mind.
The rise of ESG and how it relates to geotechnical engineering
Dr Mahdi Mason, Sustainability Consultant.
If there was ever a corporate buzzword, ESG would have to be it in recent times. Dr Mahdi Mason, Sustainability Consultant, explains in her article for Friction how ESG is impacting nearly every organisation in the world and if you have not felt it yet, you will.
There is a tsunami of new ESG disclosure requirements on the way, which means visibility, questions and information requests under many more rocks of businesses. What does this mean? Should it be “for” businesses?
NEWS, PUBLICATIONS AND UPDATES
The Evolution of ESG in Mining
In this episode of the Sustainability Leaders podcast, by BMO, we hear from host Dan Barclay and Tom Butler, CEO for the International Council on Mining and Metals on how ESG policy has evolved in the metals and mining space in recent years. The two also discuss how the industry’s views and approaches to issues like climate change and being more environmentally friendly has evolved over recent years, moving from “nice-to-have” policies to frameworks that are essential to miners’ social license to operate.
From licence to operate to social impact: what ‘good mining’ looks like is evolving
In recent years, social licence to operate has become the social performance measure of mining companies and refers to the capacity of a mining operation to secure and maintain informal acceptance of its activities by local communities.
Vincent Rouget, from Control Risks, looks at the growing pressures government and other stakeholders have on mining operators and how their approach to sustainably and social impact is constantly under the microscope.
How to future-proof your ESG strategy
In an article published earlier this year, Jeremy Sims looks at how ESG is impacting today’s mining landscape and how companies can future-proof their ESG strategy.
A growing topic of importance in the mining industry is ESG and the social licence to operate. Companies that are proactively implementing policies around this are receiving acceptance rates within the community, but how can you ensure you are future-proofing your ESG strategy to not only benefit your business but also the community around you?
Embracing a different geotechnical perspective
At the 2023 geotechnical symposium, principal geotechnical engineer at Cartledge Mining and Geotechnics, Keith Mandisodza, spoke about a different approach to geotechnical engineering that considers local communities' thoughts and concerns.
Keith explains how looking at a project through this lens can have beneficial impacts on mine design, safety and the local community – ultimately improving a company’s level of acceptance or approval with all stakeholders.
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