Dallaglio’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives
ESG, which stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance, has become a crucial aspect of the Global mining industry. With increasing concerns about climate change, human rights, and corporate responsibility, mining companies are now focusing on integrating sustainable practices into their operations.
Environmental considerations involve minimizing the impact of mining activities on ecosystems, reducing carbon emissions, and conserving water resources. Social factors include ensuring the safety and well-being of workers, respecting local communities, and promoting diversity and inclusion. Governance entails transparency, ethical decision-making, and accountability.
By incorporating ESG principles, mining companies can not only mitigate risks but also enhance their reputation and attract responsible investors. They can implement measures such as using renewable energy sources, adopting advanced technologies for efficient resource utilization, and engaging with stakeholders.
Mining Zimbabwe spoke to Shakeelah who gave us an insight into how one of Zimbabwe’s mining giants, Dallaglio is handling ESG. Here is our interaction.
Can you please tell us about your background and your position at Dallaglio?
My name is Shakeelah KassimI, I am a Chemical Engineer with experience in the development, implementation and monitoring of Quality, Environmental, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), and Risk Management systems in Zimbabwe. My current role at Dallaglio primarily involves the development of systems and processes to understand, monitor and report on ESG-related issues across our operations.
The world is looking forward for mining companies to prioritize issues of Environment Social and Governance (ESG) what is Dallaglio’s strategy for ESG issues?
The foundation of Dallaglio’s ESG Strategy is built on taking the time to fully understand the expectations and priorities of our stakeholders, both internal and external. This understanding of what issues are most important to our Business and stakeholders has informed and will continue to inform the individual elements of our ESG strategy. This approach also allows us to prioritize high-impact areas and effectively identify and monitor our ESG-related risks.
We currently have systems in place to monitor our ESG metrics and are in the process of collecting sufficient data to help us fully understand and establish a baseline for Dallaglio’s ESG performance. This baseline will be used to set targets specific to our operations going forward, with the aim to continuously improve.
Our strategy is also guided by international reporting and disclosure standards, such as those outlined in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and relevant International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) guidelines and frameworks.
In terms of mine rehabilitation strategy, what has Dallaglio prepared to ensure the Environment is safe and usable after mining?
Rehabilitation has been considered at all stages, from Mine development to operation, all the way through to closure, and rehabilitation plans are in place for all our operations. Progressive rehabilitation is also being done where possible, for example, the new Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) at Eureka was designed and is operated drawing from guidelines in the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) set up by the ICMM.
In 2023, what is Dallaglio’s CSR Strategy and how much has been invested by the company?
In 2023, we aim to place more focus on measuring and understanding the effectiveness of the CSR programs that we currently have in place to identify opportunities for improvement. At the end of Q2 2023, close to US$50,000 was invested in Community-related initiatives, including the rehabilitation of roads and commissioning of boreholes for nearby Villages, as well as the continued construction of the Mafuti Maternity Clinic at Pickstone Mine. A further investment of over US$100,000 is planned for the remainder of the year.
What has been the response of the communities regarding the ESG initiatives your company is currently undertaking?
The response from the surrounding communities has been largely positive as our operations bring not only employment opportunities but also the development of infrastructure in the surrounding areas, including schools and health facilities.
Do you have a mine closure strategy and what does it say in strategy?
We do have Mine closure strategies in place for both of our mines and these are constantly being adjusted and updated according to any developments in our operations. The primary objectives of our closure plans are as follows:
- To ensure the mine, processing site and associated infrastructure are returned to a state as close as possible to the original.
- To ensure any mine infrastructure, and associated impacts not completely returned to their original state have the potential to be of use to the local community and stakeholders for socially or economically viable activities.
- To ensure the site is made safe for humans and animals.
- To ensure the site is left physically, chemically, and biologically stable.
- Closure is achieved efficiently and cost-effectively with minimal social and economic upheaval.
- To ensure sufficient funds are available to achieve the closure objectives.
Can you please give us a list of Dallaglio’s ESG initiatives since its inception?
Dallaglio’s Initiatives are as follows:
- The establishment of Pickstone Milling Centre for the small-scale mining community in the area, where ore from tributed claims is brought to the milling centre by the small-scale miners. The company crushes and mills this ore, and the miners retain the free gold, while the company benefits from processing of the remaining sands.
- Construction of a Mother’s Shelter at Mafuti Clinic near Pickstone to provide delivery beds, prenatal beds and other facilities for pregnant women awaiting delivery with the aim to reduce the mortality rate of mothers and their babies.
- Rehabilitation of the main road in the Grey City- Muroiwa and Mazhambe villages near Guruve, as well as grading of the Pickstone-Chegutu Road.
- Installation and commissioning of solar and manual boreholes at health facilities, schools and villages in the communities near Pickstone and Eureka.
- Donations of learning materials, including stationery and textbooks, to primary and secondary schools in the communities surrounding Pickstone and Eureka.
- Grading of school grounds at local schools.
- Repair of infrastructure and facilities in local areas, including construction of adequate ablution facilities at schools and clinics.
- Ad hoc donations to local government, including ZRP and traditional leadership, to assist in carrying out duties and for traditional ceremonies.
- As far as possible, there is priority employment of people from surrounding communities.
- Internal graduate programs for training and employment of young, local talent.
What do you think needs to be done for mining companies to adhere to ESG initiatives?
In my view, commitment from the Board and senior leadership is required to ensure a solid foundation for effective ESG programs, I believe adherence will then follow. At Dallaglio, we are privileged to be guided by a Board and senior leadership team who fully understand and accept the extent of our social responsibility as a mining company and play a key role in driving our ESG initiatives forward.
This article first appeared in issue 69 of the Mining Zimbabwe magazine