Sustainable Mining, Sustainable Returns
The sustainability of our operations and the positive impact of our business is a founding, guiding principle at Perseus.
We believe – and are committed to demonstrating – that responsible gold mining can play a progressive role in the sustainable development of emerging markets and deliver sustainable returns to our shareholders.
Since the inception of our company, we have worked among and alongside communities in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, delivering on our promise of protecting the environment, delivering local employment, education and enterprise.
We endeavoured to build a resilient and reliable business, listening to the needs and concerns of communities and our hosts, while never losing sight of our commitment to deliver lasting commercial value through the creation of a world-class gold mining business in West Africa.
As we celebrate the commissioning of our third mine Yaouré, with our combined operations now comprising 96% local employment, 78% local procurement, our track record of zero fatalities and low injury rates, and social development programs well established, we believe our work increasingly exemplifies our vision of responsible investment as a driver of sustainable development.
As we evolve and continue to expand our operations in the coming years, Perseus will strive to set a new standard for responsible mining by promoting and protecting our value and our values.
Our Approach
At Perseus, we believe responsible gold mining can play a key role in sustainable development.
We maintain high standards of governance, deep respect for the environment and care for the welfare of our employees, contractors and the communities in which we operate. We do this by understanding and managing health, safety, environmental and social risk and opportunities to ensure safe and stable exploration, development and operation of our mines; maximising the value we create for our host countries and local communities.
We are continuing to mature our approach to sustainability, increasingly integrating sustainability in the decision-making fabric of our business, making it part of not only what we achieve, but also how we achieve it as we transition to becoming a world-class multi-mine, multi-jurisdictional gold producer.
Operating Perseus in this way is key to our company vision and to delivering on our mission to create material value for all our stakeholders, in fair and equitable proportions, as we achieve our goal of producing 500,000 ounces of gold per year in CY2022.
Fy22 Highlights
Materiality Analysis & Sustainability Framework
We review our sustainability materiality analyses each year to focus our efforts on the key issues that are important to our operations, shareholders, host governments, communities, and customers. In 2020, we engaged independent sustainability risk expert, KPMG, to refresh our materiality analysis, and conduct a deeper analysis of our sustainability risks and opportunities. These material issues and focus areas are outlined in our Sustainability Performance Framework.
Alignment to Global Frameworks and Standards
We are applying international best practice through alignment to and reporting against key frameworks and standards.
Alignment to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
The UNSDGs are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030 (Agenda 2030).
Adopted by 193 countries, including Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, the UNSDGs came into effect in January 2016, and aim to foster economic growth, ensure social inclusion, and protect the environment.
Agenda 2030 has five overarching themes, known as the “Five Ps”: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships, which span across 17 SDGs.
We have worked with the key government and community stakeholders in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire to identify and prioritise the UNSDGs that we are best able to contribute to through our operational, procurement and social investment activities. These include:
