Sustainability Report <SR> 2020

Integrated talent management 102-41

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been a collective learning opportunity for new ways of working and the future of work.”

PRIORITIZED SDGs

People are central to our business and we work to ensure our employees feel valued and engaged. The flexibility and resilience of our workforce is highlighted in our collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The world of work has been changing at a rapid pace of the past decade and in 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged our most basic assumptions of how we work together. However, together with a combination of well organised management response and the resilience and adaptability of our employees, AngloGold Ashanti was successful in ensuring business continuity and competitiveness whilst dealing with increased uncertainty.

We depend on people to ensure the efficient operation of our assets and the effective management of the business. Our operations are a significant source of employment to the communities surrounding our operations. From the onset of the pandemic, we have taken the responsibility to safeguard the health of our employees and prevent the spread of the virus as we are aware of the impact on communities at large. Furthermore, the Company’s board and Executive leadership decided that no AngloGold Ashanti employee should be negatively impacted from an employment perspective as a result of COVID-19.

COVID-19 management approach and operational adaptations

We customised working arrangements to protect vulnerable employees.

We also implemented a restriction on non-essential business whilst ensuring key strategic objectives are still met through the use of online platforms. In areas where work is mainly office based, we implemented remote working arrangements and equipped employees with the necessary tools and infrastructure to work from the safety of their homes. This reduced the need for employees to travel to an office environment and work in confined office spaces.

AngloGold Ashanti has introduced COVID-19 Compliance Officers throughout the business to ensure that the adapted workplace protocols and behaviours are strictly applied.

Talent management

AngloGold Ashanti has always recognised that effective talent management practices are needed to remain competitive, navigate the volatile macro-economic environment and achieve strategic objectives. As such, the Company has continually strengthened the operationalisation and maturity of its talent management processes.

The talent review and succession planning processes have continued to strengthen internal talent pipelines. Reviews are continuously conducted to identify of talent and support successor development for key roles. During 2020, the Company improved its succession coverage ratio for critical and key roles. Representation of women in the talent pool has increased.

During 2020, 90% of vacancies were filled by internal candidates. Amongst these were four female senior management appointments.

Retention of identified talent and potential successors remains a critical focus and retention risk is continually assessed and actively managed. A number of retention risk mitigation strategies have been implemented effectively and have resulted in approximately 95% retention rate of AngloGold Ashanti talent in 2020.

Learning and development

Learning and development is aimed at ensuring employees are equipped to execute the business strategy and leaders can provide an empowering work environment. Measures are continuously introduced to build the requisite skills and capabilities necessary to deliver against business focus areas and plans.

Interventions are aligned to future role requirements and linked to clearly identified development needs.

Leadership development assessments for key successors augments individual development planning and future talent decisions. A rigorous approach to succession planning for key roles is being cascaded through the organisation and progress is closely tracked.

The Company has continued to promote learning and development despite the challenges of COVID-19. The following sections highlight some of the key learning and development interventions during 2020.

Blended learning approach through a range of effective talent development interventions:


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Experience (70%)
Learning on the job and by doing:
  • Job rotations/developmental roles e.g. CYLP
  • Acting or deputisation
  • Project work
  • Stretch assignments
  • Operational/site visits
  • Cross functional exposure

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Exposure (20%)
Learning through others and informally:
  • Executive coaching
  • Mentorship
  • Senior leadership exposure
  • Board exposure
  • Professional / external forums
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Education (10%)
Learning through structured and formal programs:
  • Professional qualifications / seminars
  • Executive development programs
  • Managerial and leadership development programs
  • On line learning

Chairman’s Young Leader Programme

Established in 2015, the Chairman’s Young Leaders Programme (CYLP) develops and nurtures young talent, enhancing the Company’s future talent pipeline.

Since inception, the programme has graduated 40 young leaders with female representation of approximately 53% (alumni and current). Approximately 78% of the candidates have been promoted or their scope of work broadened. The programme has achieved a retention rate among alumni of about 88% over the years. Half of last year’s intake were women.

Chairman’s Young Leader Programme

Future Leaders Mentorship Programme

Our Future Leaders Mentorship Programme launched in September 2018, established structured mentor/mentee relationships aimed at skills transfer and accelerated career development for CYLP Alumni. To date, 25 young leaders have been trained on mentorship and matched with mentors to undertake a 12 to 18-month mentorship process. Twenty of the 25 relationships have already commenced.

AngloGold Ashanti Mentorship Programme

The AngloGold Ashanti Mentorship Programme was developed as an extension of the Future Leaders Mentorship Programme offered to the CYLP alumni.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mentorship training is being conducted online. To date 93 mentees (44% female and 56% male) have been trained. The average age of the mentee pool is 36 years, with an average tenure of 5.2 years. 101 mentors have been trained (26% female and 74% male), at an average age of 45 years, and an average tenure of 8.7 years.

Online learning and development

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift from traditional classroom training to virtual learning. High levels of participation were noted, validating the need for employee learning and development as well as AngloGold Ashanti user readiness for digital learning. Online interventions were tested from August to October with 107 individuals who participated from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Guinea, Ghana, Tanzania and South Africa.

The implementation of personalised online learning is underway. Making use of artificial intelligence (AI), learning interventions will be recommended based on individual development needs, skills requirements and learning preferences. The overall aim is to provide a comprehensive online curriculum to support AngloGold Ashanti’s blended learning approach to provide high-impact learning for employees.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Diversity and Inclusion framework completed and approved by the board in 2019 aligns group objectives to foster the empowerment of all staff, irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation. It acts as a guide in the application of the diversity and inclusion principles, across AngloGold Ashanti operations, and ensures consistent implementation of initiatives and programmes.

Diversity and inclusion is a line management accountability, in line with AngloGold Ashanti’s value of treating each other with dignity and respect.

Governance structures will be put in place to support all diversity and inclusion objectives.

A Global Women’s Forum has been established, with executive sponsorship, incorporating the diversity committees which have been established in each region.

We have developed a policy framework with regional and business unit policies on diversity and inclusion aligned to the group objectives and the local legislative requirements as well as HR policies.

In line with Company values and our commitment to human rights, no discrimination will be tolerated. Diversity in the workplace as a concept is something that organisations have only recently started considering, and significant work is needed to establish overarching corporate guidelines to ensure diversity.

Organisational culture and management style also need to be addressed as part of this and diversity should include a cultural change across the Company and management style. This should go beyond ‘number crunching’ to changing norms and integrating diversity issues in the leadership practices and development programmes. All senior management will have diversity, inclusion and equity incorporated into their key performance indicators.

To ensure there is a common understanding of diversity, inclusion and equity across the business, the organisation has conducted unconscious bias workshops across the organisation. In 2020, 95% of all senior management, including the board and the executive committee, attended Unconscious Bias Workshops through face-to-face and online platforms. We aim to roll out this training to all employees during 2021. These workshops will be aimed at assisting employees to confront their unconscious biases, to overcome barriers to inclusion, and to support implementation of diversity and inclusion frameworks.

We aim to see equal pay for work of equal value and will conduct a gap analysis to ensure there are no unfair income differentials, and that performance management and appraisal is equitable to all staff irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation.


Localisation

The employment of people from host countries and communities has remained an important priority for AngloGold Ashanti, particularly in Africa. This priority is linked to our Company value and intention to make communities better off through our presence.

Since 2016, we have achieved a 30% reduction in the deployment of expatriate employees. A number of intentional interventions have contributed to this reduction. Internal capacity building through initiatives such as technical assessments, structured development plans, local talent pool mentorship, and international exposure, have contributed to strengthening local talent pipelines.


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The regional recruitment policy has been revised and reinforced and the Company has partnered strategically to advance localisation objectives


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The Company has embarked on an extensive talent mapping process to identify external pools of national talent


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Graduate programmes are active across the Africa Region combined with the appointment of high potential local talent in key roles


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Extensive mentoring and lifelong career guidance for local talent

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Provision of ongoing support and development to Chairman’s young leaders within the Africa Region.

We realise that there is still much work to be done to further reduce dependence on expatiate employees and improve gender representation in local talent pools. The company has set itself a target to reduce the number of expatriate employees to below 100 in the next three years. To do so, the focus will be on the further development of leadership skills and key technical mining and artisanal skills in partnership with local training institutions.

Employee relations

The AngloGold Ashanti approach to employee relations is predicated on a relationship-based model. We strive to establish constructive relations with our employees and their union representatives based on our company values and our determination to embed interest-based collective bargaining. Working closely with our sites we are also at the forefront of ensuring that we comply with local legislation as well as with our regulatory obligations. Our employees are highly unionised and the need to build positive relations is part of our overall stakeholder management philosophy.

Employee relations

The following information reflects the key employment relations and engagement activities, which took place in the year. 102-41

  • Flag: Tanzania

    TANZANIA

    Geita

    • 86% of employees are unionised in the bargaining unit.
    • Business union wage negotiations with the unions and a new collective bargaining unit was successfully concluded without strike action and/ or operational disruption.
    • A process was started to renegotiate the compressed working week agreement following the termination notice of the existing agreement by the trade union (TAMICO).

  • Flag: Ghana

    GHANA

    Obuasi

    • The reintroduction of the Ghana Mineworkers Union was successful and there is an understanding that the level of representation will be limited and not extend to stratum 1 employees (excluding certain sensitive positions). 80% of these employees are unionised.
    • Broad agreement with the union pertaining the process of unionisation.
    • A process to conclude a three-year collective bargaining agreement was embarked upon.

  • Flag: Ghana

    GHANA

    Iduapriem

    • Four unions represent junior staff and senior staff respectively, comprising 80% of the employees. These employees are also subject to collective bargaining.
    • Collective bargaining and wage negotiations took place during 2020 and a three-year agreement was successfully negotiated, wage discussions for 2021 will convene during March.

  • Flag: Guinea

    GUINEA

    Siguiri

    • 94% of employees are unionised
    • Collective bargaining negotiations for wage and conditions and services will start between July and September 2021.
    • In order to bolster relations and to manage potential conflict, regular capacity building for union/management on collective negotiation techniques and mediation are conducted.

  • Flag: Mali

    MALI

    Sadiola

    The sale of Sadiola was concluded in December 2020. A detailed process for integration with the new owner is in place as well as initiatives to deal with any residual issues:

    • While the site was in operation under our management 99% of employees there were unionised;
    • A national strike action took place in Mali during November but our operations were unaffected.

  • Flag: Colombia

    COLOMBIA

     

    • Colombia projects do not have unions yet. HR team are working close to the employees based on leadership, continuous conversations about performance, labor conditions, solving issues, leadership and team work.
    • The labor relations strategy was defined for construction and operation for Quebradona project.

  • Flag: Brazil

    BRAZIL

    Corrego do Sitio, Cuiaba and Serra Grande

    • 24% of employees are unionised (registered as Union members) in Brazil.
    • 99% of employees covered by collective bargaining agreements.
    • All operations were able to successfully conclude wage negotiations in August 2020 without strike action.

  • Flag: Brazil

    ARGENTINA

    Cerro Vanguardia

    • 90% of employees are unionised.
    • Salary increases were agreed until 04/30/2021.
    • The annual bonus payment (percentage) was agreed.
    • The demands of different unions are intensifying in all the mining companies of Santa Cruz Province (private guards union, construction union, truck drivers’ union).

Our performance


Reduction in deployment
of expatriates
30%
Indicator 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016
Total average number of employees (as per HFM)
Group* 36,952 34,263 44,249 51,480 52,649
Permanent 20,730 19,874 29,968 36,072 38,377
Contractors 16,222 14,389 14,281 15,408 14,272
Training and development expenditure ($ million)
South Africa5.748.0111.0628.3429.45
Americas1.060.961.612.262
Australia1.140.981.21.20.9
Continental Africa2.821.551.34.52.5
Number of grievances relating to unfair labour practices filed during the reporting period
Group 46160140
Minimum periods regarding operational changes
Argentina1 month 1 month1 month
Brazil1 month 30 days30 days30 days1 month
Colombia1 month 1 month12 months12 months
Ghana1 month 1 month1 month1 month1 month
Guinea1 month 1 month1 month1 month1 month
Mali1 month 1 month1 month1 month1 month
South Africa:
Management and Officials30 days 30 days30 days30 days30 days
Miners and Artisans24 hours24 hours24 hours24 hours24 hours
Category 4 to 8 Employees24 hours24 hours24 hours24 hours24 hours
Tanzania1 month 1 month1 month1 month
Number of strike or lock out exceeding one week
Group 00000

Composition of governance bodies

Board composition by nationality (%)
South African 4445455555
Australian9999
Canadian 1118900
Ghanaian 11
American 2218181818
British 1191899
Indian / British0099
Board composition by HDSA (%)
HDSA 3345334545
Non-HDSA 110221010
Non-South Africans 5655454545
Board composition by gender (%)
Men 5664736473
Women 4436273627
Executive committee composition by nationality (%)
South African 6756565655
Australian 2211111111
Canadian 11221100
American0111111
Indian / British001111
Spanish11111111
Executive committee composition by HDSA (%)
HDSA 3333363333
Non-HDSA 331192222
Non-South Africans 3356554545
Executive committee composition by gender (%)
Men6767676767
Women 3333333333
SAR Employment Equity across all levels (%)
Board 4736364546
Top Management 5043434350
Senior Management 4545444241
Middle Management 5654555251
Junior Management 6564616060
Core and critical skills 5252535655
Proportion of senior management from local community (%)
Argentina100100100100100
Australia7578828289
Brazil94939310090
Corporate9091939188
Ghana5356564442
Guinea3833332525
Mali0505000
Tanzania25201408
Colombia756967100100
South Africa10010010099100
USA868888860
Employees covered by collective bargaining (%)
Argentina9099999999
Australia00000
Brazil100100100100100
Colombia00007
Ghana8093949696
Guinea9496979595
Mali9998999897
South Africa9697969194
Tanzania8685869087
USA00000
  • * The average employee numbers are inclusive of Continuing and discontinued operations
  • * The average employee numbers are inclusive of Continuing and discontinued operations