Tools for Environmental Excellence
Barrick employs environmental professionals responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining environmental management systems and controls, as well as promoting environmental stewardship at all sites across the Company. Regional and corporate environmental professionals provide support to the site personnel as well as to other corporate departments within the Company, including exploration, technical services and capital projects. We are committed to environmental excellence and promote this objective through training, monitoring and auditing.
Training
Environmental training provides all workers with an understanding of their environmental responsibilities. Training varies from site to site; some sites provide informal training sessions weekly while others provide more formal training each year. In 2007, over 200,000 hours of environmental training were provided for employees and contractors at our sites. In addition, our environmental professionals attend external classes and seminars as appropriate for their region and career development.
Monitoring and Auditing
Ongoing environmental monitoring during the life of each mine and through closure provides feedback on the effectiveness of each operation’s environmental management systems and controls. Regular environmental audits are completed at our operations by audit professionals within the Company. The audit process is designed to verify that the environmental management systems are adequate to ensure that performance commitments are achieved. Whenever audits identify deficiencies, thorough analysis attempts to recognize the fundamental causes underlying these deficiencies so that effective corrective actions can be implemented. Environmental audits are conducted annually at certain of our operations and development projects. The remaining operations and development projects are audited, in general, every two years. During the 2007 audit cycle, 29 environmental audits were conducted at producing operations and development projects.