Integrated report <IR> 2020

E G performance – an overview

Environment, social and governance – ESG – matters encompass those material issues and risks which could potentially impact our ability to create sustained long-term value. These factors are integrated into our strategy through our foundational strategic pillar – Focus on people, safety and sustainability – and are thus vital aspects underpinning our business model.


E ENVIRONMENT

Energy consumption

25.54PJ (Efficiency: 0.37GJ/tonne treated)


GHG (CO2e) emissions

2,337kt (Efficiency: 33kg/tonnes treated)


Water used

47,405ML (Efficiency: 0.68kL/tonne treated)


Land under management

461,511ha rehabilitated with total rehabilitation liabilities of $658.9m


Reportable environmental incidents

8


SOCIETY

People employed on average

36,952 (includes contractors)


Salaries, wages and other benefits

$508m

Enhanced, robust Responsible Sourcing Programme implemented to ensure consistency, fairness and parity in screening of suppliers


Training and development

$11m


Local procurement

$2.12bn 82% of total procurement spend of $2.58bn


Community investment

$20.6m


G GOVERNANCE

Total current taxes paid

$562m


Royalties and other taxes paid

$284m


Taxes paid on behalf of employees

$209m

Compliance

ISO 14001

94% of sites certified


Cyanide Code

88% of sites certified

Security and human rights

No incidents or allegations

The Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPSHR) applied.


99.7% of security personnel attended VPSHR training

Committed to promoting gender, ethnic and cultural diversity, inclusivity and tolerance within the region


Our ESG commitments are informed by a comprehensive materiality assessment which determines our key priorities, risks and opportunities. Our activities are underpinned by strong governance systems and a world-class set of policies, standards and management systems.

COVID-19 has further intensified stakeholders’ focus on ESG issues, ranging from how we treat employees, our approach to climate change and human capital, and our efforts to promote sustainable supply chains and communities in which we operate.

Contributing positively to employees, communities and demonstrating responsible environmental stewardship are critical to ensuring our social licence to operate. It is a responsibility we take seriously that covers resource use and land rehabilitation, social justice, good governance, good corporate citizenship, diversity and inclusion, and human rights.

Strong ESG performance is important in maintaining our stakeholder confidence and trust, and in creating sustained value in the long term. This is another area which receives focus at all levels of the business. Consequently, the board, supported by its committees, is actively engaged in oversight and monitoring of the Company’s performance, promoting an ethical culture, being a responsible corporate citizen, and ensuring inclusive stakeholder relationships – see our ESG governance framework below.

Our ESG governance framework

Board

Robust, active oversight and engagement on ESG and sustainability issues

Supported by:

  • Social, Ethics and Sustainability Committee, which oversees detailed ESG and sustainability performance
  • Audit and Risk Committee, which oversees effective risk management, including that of sustainability-related issues, and ensures ethical conduct through related company policies
  • Human Resources and Remuneration Committee, which ensures remuneration policies are in place and that all employees are remunerated fairly and responsibly, taking into consideration delivery on value creation

Policies, frameworks and standards

Aligning with global best practice

  • Policies, standards and frameworks that seek to align with global best practice
  • Policies operationalised through robust management systems
  • Systems include safety, health, human resources, environment, community affairs, tailings management, security, human rights and closure

Management

Active engagement, delegation and oversight on execution

  • Executive management team has direct accountability for all aspects of the business, including ESG matters and sustainability
  • An internal Climate Change Working Group oversees corporate climate change strategy
  • Monthly and ad hoc reporting on key issues across all operating sites and disciplines

Assurance

Systematic, well-planned and co-ordinated

Comprehensive risk and assurance review process includes

  • AuRisk: a proprietary risk management system, identifies risks and tracks performance on mitigation measures
  • Internal: detailed combined assurance audits of all sites conducted annually/biannually, led by Internal Audit and supported by all functional sustainability disciplines
  • External: ensuring alignment with global best practice (see below)

Sustainability and ESG frameworks and standards

We have ESG standards, policies and frameworks and are signatories to, or members of, several external organisations, frameworks and standards with ESG principles aligned with our values. These affiliations provide another avenue for stakeholders to asses our performance in these areas. Our participation in industry initiatives also enables us to inform and influence global standards and practices, while gaining insight into emerging expectations, risks and best practice.

These include:
ICMM [logo]
GRI [logo]
TCFD [logo]
World Gold Council [logo]
ISO 1401 [logo]
World Economic Forum [logo]
UN Global Compact [logo]
SD Goals [logo]
ISO 45001 [logo]
ICM Code for the gold mining industry [logo]
Agenda 2063 [logo]
EITI [logo]
OHSAS 18001 [logo]
Voluntary principles [logo]

ESG performance and the SDGs

AngloGold Ashanti is committed to the United Nations SDGs to support its 2030 Agenda to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. While the SDGs were aimed at national governments initially, the private sector and public companies are increasingly being encouraged to support them.

Our sustainable development strategy, which supports our overall business strategy, is aligned with the SDGs. The SDGs also speak to our ESG performance and are aligned with the 10 principles of the ICMM.

We have categorised and prioritised the SDGs, based on the extent to which each is relevant to our business, as follows:


SDGs identified as those to which we can make a material, positive contribution

Core to our business, and we are committed to making a positive contribution:


Other SDGs affected in the conduct of our business

Not core to our business but we can positively contribute:


SDGs we indirectly or negatively affect

Potentially impacted by our activities and require mitigation:



Sustainability indices

We voluntarily engage with several entities that rank our sustainability/ESG performance, according to their own methodologies. These rankings are based on our ESG-related disclosures and also ESG risks and performance and provide useful external feedback on our performance and benchmarks against our peers. We are proud where we do well but are more focused and work hard on those areas highlighted for improvement. These indices are:




S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) (formerly SAM CSA)

S&P Global CSA enables directing reporting of key sustainability metrics and benchmarking of performance on a wide range of industry-specific ESG criteria. CSA results are not only an important resource to the financial community but also to employees, customers and critical NGOs.

In the 2020 assessment, AngloGold Ashanti was ranked number 10 out 134 metals and mining companies in the industry and achieved an overall ESG rating score of 69 versus an industry average of 26.



Responsible Mining Index

The Responsible Mining Index (RMI) assesses the extent to which large-scale mining companies address a range of economic and ESG issues across their mining activities. AngloGold Ashanti ranked fourth out of 38 global mining companies, and first for emerging market companies, for our mine-site results in the latest RMI rankings. We scored in the top five for performance in economic development, lifecycle management, community wellbeing and environmental responsibility. Other areas which are assessed by the index are business conduct and working conditions.

We were commended for, among others, our transparency in relation to the negative impacts our operations can have, our formalised approach to supporting local procurement and local business development, for our comprehensive approach to mitigating the impacts of collective retrenchment and relatively detailed disclosure of environmental incidents.



FTSE4Good

The FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index Series (FTSE4Good) is designed to measure the performance of companies demonstrating strong ESG practices. AngloGold Ashanti achieved an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5. This compares favourably with average scores of 2.6 for the gold mining sector, 2.1 for the basic materials industry and 3.5 for South Africa.



Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index

This index tracks the financial performance of public companies committed to disclosing their efforts to support gender equality through policy development, representation and transparency. AngloGold Ashanti has been included in the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equity Index (GEI) in recognition of the work being done to improve diversity and inclusion across the group. Our overall score of 67% compares with an average score across all sectors of 67% for the mining sector.

Our highest scores were for disclosure, equal pay and gender parity, our sexual harassment policies and our pro-women branding. Although we improved in some areas, opportunities exist to better our performance in others – such as female leadership and talent pipeline, and gender inclusivity. With the support of the board and executive committee to promote gender diversity and create an inclusive working environment, we are well placed to achieve this. See People are our business and the Remuneration report for more information.