As we pass the half-way point in the fifteen-year plan to reach the UN Millennium Development Goals, there is growing recognition that mining can make a significant contribution to poverty alleviation.
There are millions of people in the countries where we work who still need access to clean water, food, health care, housing and education. Barrick’s business is mining and that is where our expertise lies. However, we recognize our responsibility to assist our host communities and countries in improving quality of life in areas where we have the capacity and ability to do so.
Our community relations staff works closely with communities to create and implement integrated development programs that take into account local issues, concerns and needs. Recognizing that our mines may operate in some communities for 20 years or more, we focus on long-term sustainable development.
Over the years, a wide range of organizations, agencies and institutions have become important partners with Barrick in this effort. These partnerships vary greatly, from grassroots NGOs that deliver human services, to environmental non-profits, from local governments to global organizations offering best practices for addressing difficult social and developmental challenges. Whether local, national or international, we value the expertise partners bring, which often complements the company’s programs in such areas as health, education, water access and poverty alleviation. We have forged partnerships with a number of well respected organizations such as World Vision Canada, the African Medical & Research Foundation (AMREF), CARE International, the Cisneros Foundation, the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and numerous others. Click here to see a full list of our partnerships.
Fundamentally, our partners share our belief in responsible resource development and help us to get it right. Working together, we are helping to meet the most pressing development needs of communities near our mines.
We welcome new partnerships and insights to build on our experience.
The following stories are from Beyond Borders: A Barrick Gold Quarterly Report on Responsible Mining:
Our vision for sustainable community development encompasses responsible environmental practices. Through stringent environmental management programs, we ensure environmental impacts are properly addressed and strive to continually improve our environmental performance. This may include working directly with communities on environmental monitoring projects.
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