CCGG @ PDAC: Oversight of Environmental and Social Risks at Mining Companies

March 2019

Over the past few years, there has been a significant shift in the approach of businesses and investors alike to environmental and social factors and their impact on a company’s long-term value. Environmental and social issues have moved from being on the periphery of company decision-making to become an increasingly fundamental strategic priority for businesses including mining companies. Accompanying this shift has been increased interest of investors in a company’s E&S profile.

Reflecting this evolution, the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance (CCGG) recently published The Directors’ E&S Guidebook which seeks to assist boards in developing a principled approach to governance and oversight of E&S factors that are, or may become, material to a company’s long-term value, and to the disclosure of those factors to investors. The Guidebook also has a key objective to encourage deeper dialogue between companies and investors to better manage and respond to E&S issues.

Fasken and CCGG have organized this panel to help promote and encourage this critical dialogue between investors and boards. The panellists have been drawn from both the investor and mining communities to explore the impact of E&S issues and investor expectations on board activity and management decision-making.

 

The panel discussion will be moderated by Stephen Erlichman, partner at Fasken (and past Executive Director of CCGG). The panellists will include Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan’s Chief Risk Officer Barb Zvan (and current CCGG board member and Chair of CCGG’s E & S Committee), Stephen Letwin, CEO of IAMGOLD Corporation, Nancy Lockhart, formerly an independent board director at Barrick Gold Corporation and Aaron Bennett, Director & Senior Research Analyst and Co-Chair, Sustainable Investing Committee – Jarislowsky, Fraser Limited.

Guest Speaker:

  • Barb Zvan, Chief Risk Officer, Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan
  • Stephen Letwin, CEO, IAMGOLD Corporation
  • Nancy Lockhart, former independent Board Director, Barrick Gold Corporation
  • Aaron Bennett, Director & Senior Research Analyst – North American Equities, Jarislowsky Fraser

For more information, please visit the Fasken event page here.