SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: MAC members pledge to uphold voluntary principles

OTTAWA – The Mining Association of Canada has asked its members to commit to the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, becoming the first national mining organization to do so. The announcement coincides with the annual plenary meeting of the Voluntary Principles Initiative (VPI). Canada is completing its one-year chairmanship of the VPI, a position it has held since April 2016. The Canadian government has identified the VPs as one of six leading standards in Canada’s corporate social responsibility strategy for the extractive sector. “With Canada’s Chairmanship of the VPI this past year, it was timely to make this announcement. It underscores MAC members’ commitments to respect human rights and to operate responsibly with respect to security practices. Our members take their responsibilities to protect the safety of its people and the communities where they operate seriously, and the VPs is one important way that they can demonstrate that commitment,” stated Pierre Gratton, MAC president and CEO. Several MAC members already formally participate in the Voluntary Principles and several others apply the VPs for their operations abroad. With today’s announcement, MAC member companies that rely upon private or public security forces have committed to implementing a human rights and security approach consistent with the VPs and based on a determination of risk at mining facilities that they control. Furthermore, MAC members with international mining operations will report on their implementation annually in MAC’s Towards Sustainable Mining progress report. For more information about the Voluntary Principles, visit www.VoluntaryPrinciples.org.