Our primary objective is to consistently uphold the highest standards of occupational health and safety across all levels of our operations, with a focus on continuous improvement year after year. Our ultimate goal is to achieve zero harm, ensuring that every employee—whether in the field or in the office—is protected from injury and occupational illness.

Our dedication to minimizing the environmental impact of our business activities is unwavering. We are committed to embedding sustainable and responsible practices into every facet of our operations. By integrating eco-friendly strategies across all departments and processes, we aim not only to safeguard the natural environment but also to champion a sustainable future through thoughtful and conscientious business practices.

Our commitment to environmental stewardship is reflected in our strict adherence to international standards and Environmental Management Systems, as well as compliance with the environmental regulations of our host countries. Our approach begins with a rigorous Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) conducted at the design stage of all operations. This process, aligned with global standards and developed through active consultation with stakeholders, thoroughly evaluates potential impacts on water, air quality, soil, visual aesthetics, and biodiversity.

To effectively manage and mitigate environmental risks, we implement detailed management plans during both the construction and operational phases of our projects. These plans are reinforced by comprehensive risk assessments in line with our Risk Management Framework. Additionally, we establish robust monitoring systems to ensure continuous vigilance and proactive measures in identifying, preventing, and reducing environmental impacts. Through these efforts, we uphold our dedication to environmental responsibility and the continuous improvement of our operations.

The extraction and processing of gold ore involve the use of potentially hazardous materials and generate both non-hazardous and hazardous waste. At Exoben, we are committed to mitigating the risks associated with these substances and waste to prevent adverse effects on human health and environmental contamination of land and water.

Our operations utilize hazardous substances such as lime, flocculants, caustic soda, hydrochloric acid, explosives, and cyanide. We take proactive measures to manage and monitor all processes related to the transportation, handling, and storage of these materials, with a particular emphasis on cyanide, adhering strictly to the International Cyanide Management Code (ICMC). Additionally, our Operational Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans are in place to effectively manage and respond to any incidents involving the release of chemical substances, hazardous materials, or waste. These plans are reinforced by regular training sessions and drills, ensuring that our team is well-prepared to manage potential emergencies efficiently.

The largest volume of waste produced by our operations comes from waste rock and overburden. We carefully manage the disposal of this material, either by constructing strategically engineered waste rock dumps on-site or by using it as backfill in previously excavated pits. Special attention is given to managing waste rock that has the potential to generate acidity, with specific measures in place to prevent Acid Rock Drainage.

We are dedicated to implementing robust systems that address the health, safety, and environmental risks associated with the transportation, storage, management, and disposal of waste and hazardous materials. Our sustainable waste management practices focus on minimizing waste through strategies such as reduction, reuse, recycling, and safe disposal. This approach ensures that we not only meet regulatory standards but also contribute to the broader goal of environmental sustainability.

Our top priority is to minimize and mitigate the potential impacts of noise, dust, blasting, and vibrations—common aspects of our operations—on our employees, local communities, and the environment.

To achieve this, our facilities are equipped with advanced monitoring systems that continuously measure noise levels, dust concentrations, blast-induced overpressure, and vibrations. These systems enable us to ensure compliance with legal standards, occupational health and safety regulations, and community expectations. Additionally, we actively monitor and document any complaints related to noise, dust, vibrations, or structural damage, ensuring open and responsive communication with affected stakeholders.

We conduct regular assessments to monitor the exposure levels of dust, noise, and vibrations experienced by our employees and contractors. If these exposures exceed occupational limits, we provide the necessary personal protective equipment, including hearing protectors, dust masks, and other respiratory protective gear.

We take all concerns from stakeholders regarding dust, noise, blasting, and vibrations very seriously, thoroughly investigating each issue and implementing corrective actions to effectively address and resolve these concerns.

We understand the critical importance of biodiversity conservation, the need for well-maintained networks of protected areas, and the value of cohesive land use planning. Our primary goal is to protect ecosystems by minimizing or completely avoiding the adverse effects of land disturbance and biodiversity loss. In line with this commitment, we pledge to refrain from any exploration or mining activities in World Heritage Sites and to respect the integrity of legally protected areas.

The key biodiversity threats associated with our operations include land clearing, habitat loss and fragmentation, and disturbances to wildlife caused by light pollution, noise, and vehicle traffic. Our activities may also lead to indirect impacts such as reduced water quality and availability, which are essential for ecosystem health, as well as the spread of invasive species, including weeds, feral animals, and exotic pests. Furthermore, human in-migration can exacerbate habitat degradation and loss.

To effectively manage these biodiversity risks, we implement a structured mitigation hierarchy in our operations. This approach involves a series of strategic actions focused on environmental preservation: avoiding sensitive areas, mitigating impacts through careful management, rehabilitating disturbed lands, and, when necessary, implementing compensatory measures to offset unavoidable damages. These practices are designed to protect both freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems from potential and residual adverse impacts, ensuring that our operations contribute to environmental resilience and sustainability.

Mine closure planning is a fundamental aspect of our operations, integrated throughout the entire lifecycle of our assets—from initial design and operation through to post-closure. This systematic approach ensures that all related aspects are effectively managed from start to finish.

Our primary objective in closure planning is to comprehensively address financial, environmental, and social risks while creating positive, long-term outcomes. We strive to maximize the benefits of mine closure by building strong partnerships with local communities and stakeholders, ensuring their active involvement and input are central to our strategies.

Closure plans are developed for each operation during the planning phase. These plans encompass a wide range of activities, including reshaping landforms to blend with natural contours, rehabilitating vegetation to restore local ecosystems, safely dismantling infrastructure, and launching programs for social closure and economic transition, such as community-based livelihood development projects. Additionally, these detailed plans provide the basis for calculating our financial provisions for closure, including bank guarantees maintained with governmental bodies and reviewed annually to ensure adequacy and compliance.

During the operational phase, we prioritize back-filling pits wherever possible and begin progressive restoration activities as soon as areas are available. This effort is supported by onsite nurseries that supply plants for rehabilitation and create employment opportunities for local community members. We also actively collaborate with local communities and government agencies to identify sustainable post-closure land uses. These collaborative efforts are aimed at ensuring that closed mine sites continue to deliver long-term environmental, social, and economic benefits, including self-sustaining social programs that contribute to community well-being beyond the life of the mine.

We recognize that access to clean, safe water is a fundamental human right, essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems, supporting community livelihoods, and ensuring overall quality of life. Sustainable water management is also critical to the long-term viability of our operations, as our business depends on a reliable supply of water.

Our commitment to responsible water stewardship involves careful planning and management of how water is sourced, used, and treated across our operations. We strive to balance our water needs with those of the surrounding communities and ecosystems. Key components of our water management strategy include ensuring the availability of clean water for local communities, maintaining the health of ecosystems and catchments, and preventing any deterioration in water quality.

We implement rigorous water management plans that address both the quantity and quality of water used. Our priorities include maximizing water efficiency, promoting recycling and reuse where feasible, and employing advanced treatment processes to prevent contamination of surface and groundwater. We actively collaborate with local communities to mitigate any adverse effects our operations may have on local water resources and to improve access to clean drinking water. Through these efforts, we uphold our environmental responsibilities while enhancing the well-being of the communities we serve.

At each of our facilities, we monitor water usage to maximize efficiency and recycling efforts. We also enforce stringent measures to ensure that our operations do not negatively impact shared water resources.

A crucial aspect of our water management involves continuous monitoring of water quality at both intake and discharge points. These measurements are compared against baseline conditions in unaffected reference areas, as well as against stringent international and local environmental standards. Routine water testing includes analysis for potential contaminants related to our activities, along with assessments of pH levels, suspended solids, and nutrient content, among other critical parameters.

To further strengthen our water management practices, we actively engage with local communities and environmental specialists in developing and refining water conservation strategies. This collaborative approach helps us identify innovative methods for reducing water consumption, improving water reuse, and ensuring the ecological health of water bodies affected by our operations. By fostering open communication and partnerships, we aim to build trust and ensure that our water management efforts are transparent, effective, and beneficial for all stakeholders.

We are deeply committed to understanding and addressing the impacts of climate change on our industry, as well as on the communities and stakeholders we serve. Analyzing how climate change affects these areas is essential for identifying potential risks and capitalizing on opportunities that arise from evolving environmental conditions.

As a resource extraction company, Exoben recognizes its significant responsibility to confront the challenges posed by global warming. Our approach includes both immediate and long-term strategies to manage and mitigate the effects of climate change. This involves addressing the transitional risks associated with shifting to a low-carbon economy, as well as the physical risks caused by climate change, such as extreme weather events and alterations in natural habitats.

To address these challenges, we are adopting sustainable energy practices, investing in renewable energy sources, and enhancing our operational efficiencies to reduce carbon emissions. We also actively engage with global and local stakeholders to collaborate on climate action initiatives, with the goal of strengthening our resilience and adaptability to climate-related impacts. By integrating climate considerations into our strategic planning and operational decisions, we aim to lead in sustainability and environmental stewardship, ensuring that our business not only adapts to but thrives in a changing climate.

We understand the critical importance of continuously identifying and mitigating risks associated with climate change. To this end, we conduct an annual climate change risk assessment to better understand and identify significant non-financial and stakeholder-related risks and opportunities.

While climate change is a significant concern for our stakeholders, its direct impact on our business in the short to medium term is less substantial compared to other risks, such as health and safety, tailings management, and maintaining positive relationships with communities and governments.

One of the key concepts we address is “transition risk,” which refers to the challenges that may arise as the global economy shifts towards lower carbon emissions. This transition may involve changes in policy, legislation, technology, and market dynamics as the world adapts to climate change. The impact of transition risks can vary depending on the nature of these changes, the speed of their implementation, and their primary focus. Key factors we consider include climate and energy policies, legal changes in the West African region, costs associated with adopting new technologies, shifts in supply and demand for gold and input costs, and potential reputational impacts from increased stakeholder scrutiny of our role in climate change and its effects on local communities. By actively managing these risks, we aim to align our operations with global sustainability goals while safeguarding our business and stakeholder interests.

Climate change is expected to intensify weather-related phenomena across Africa, with increased river floods, severe precipitation, and pluvial flooding becoming more common, particularly in North Africa. Over the past fifty years, West Africa has experienced significant increases in surface temperatures, along with heightened dryness and drought conditions. These trends are expected to accelerate throughout the 21st century at a rate surpassing the global average, partly due to the region’s limited natural climatic variability and narrow climate bands that are easily disrupted by minor climatic shifts.

In Africa, temperature increases have been more pronounced than the global average, leading to higher mean temperatures and more severe extremes. Continued warming is likely to intensify the frequency and severity of extreme weather events and climatic variability.

Currently, our asset portfolio shows limited vulnerability to these physical climate threats, largely due to the relatively short operational lifespan of our projects, which typically range from 10 to 20 years. However, our focus remains on addressing significant sustainability challenges and opportunities. These include enhancing community engagement, improving health and safety standards, promoting wellness, and fostering economic development. By prioritizing these areas, we aim to build resilience and contribute positively to the regions where we operate, ensuring our impact extends beyond environmental considerations to include social and economic betterment.

The emissions generated by our operations represent the most significant environmental impact of Exoben’s activities. Each year, we compile and publish a comprehensive report detailing these emissions, underscoring our commitment to continuously improving energy efficiency and reducing our carbon footprint.

In our pursuit of environmental stewardship, we carefully assess the financial viability of each proposed efficiency program, weighing the costs against the potential benefits. This process includes exploring innovative solutions to reduce emissions across our operations. We rigorously monitor resource use, including water and energy, and track emissions data. These metrics are essential for identifying areas where efficiency improvements can be made and for implementing feasible initiatives.

Currently, diesel is our primary energy source, with hydropower and natural gas also contributing significantly to our energy mix. Our primary focus is on reducing Scope 1 emissions, which originate directly from sources we own or control, such as diesel combustion, and Scope 2 emissions, which result from the generation of purchased electricity. We are actively exploring alternatives and strategies to transition to more sustainable energy sources while enhancing overall energy efficiency. These efforts align with global environmental goals and are integral to our commitment to responsible environmental management.

West Africa faces significant challenges in adopting renewable and lower-emission energy sources, including limited land availability, infrastructure security concerns, and the long timelines required for investments. Despite these obstacles, there is substantial potential to expand the use of sustainable energy alternatives in the region. As we plan future developments, renewable energy will be a key consideration in our power assessments, ensuring that we explore and potentially integrate more sustainable energy solutions into our new projects.

As a responsible corporate entity and an integral part of the communities in which we operate, we understand the importance of proactively monitoring and addressing the potential effects of climate change. We are committed to continuously exploring and implementing strategies to minimize the environmental impact of our current operations as well as any future endeavors.

While our existing operations currently present a limited likelihood of facing significant long-term climate-related risks, it is essential that we consider the long-term implications of climate change in our strategic and operational planning. This consideration is particularly crucial as we evaluate the potential for extending the lifespan of our operations through expansions, acquisitions, or new development projects.

Looking ahead, we will adopt a comprehensive approach to emissions management that addresses both immediate and long-term challenges. This strategy will include managing short-term emissions concerns, assessing medium-term opportunities such as participating in carbon markets or other carbon constraint mechanisms, and monitoring long-term climate trends that could impact our future business decisions. By taking these steps, we aim to enhance our sustainability practices and ensure that our business remains resilient and adaptable in the face of evolving climate realities.