Social Responsibility

European Goldfields seeks to achieve the highest practicable standards of safety, health, community engagement and environmental management in every area of its operations. Our goal is to achieve, maintain or exceed industry best practice in mining, mineral processing and all related operations. We aspire to be leaders in the sector in terms of sustainable management.

• We believe that we can run our business without harming anyone and that all workplace injuries and occupational ill-health can be prevented. We will operate without polluting the ecosystems where our projects are located and endeavour to return sites to a state at least equivalent to their original condition. High standards of Safety, Health and Environmental performance are as critical to us as productivity and quality.
• We are integrating the applicable International Finance Corporation Performance Standards and the Equator Principles into the development and application of our management systems.
  http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/sustainability.nsf/Content/PerformanceStandards
  http://www.equator-principles.com/principles.shtml
• We place great importance on a collaborative, consultative, and co-operative approach to working with our local communities. We strive to make meaningful contributions to our neighbours and to minimize our environmental footprint. We seek to foster open and transparent relationships with community bodies, governmental agencies, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders, at a local, national and European level. We support innovative programmes in respect of social services, the environment, cultural and civic projects.
• We establish and maintain systems for health and workplace monitoring. The results of these programs are reviewed and workplace adjustments are made, as necessary.
• The application of this Policy is and will be maintained, throughout the exploration, planning, construction, operation and decommissioning phases of all of our operations, and applies equally to all contractors and third parties working on our behalf.
• We recognise that environmental protection and consumable resource conservation are imperative to sustainable operations and actively integrate these concepts into our business decision-making processes.
• We have a policy of continual improvement in all aspects of our operations. To implement this, local plans are developed and new technology integrated, where applicable.
• All employees and contractors are provided with continuous training, so as to ensure an understanding of their environmental responsibilities and to foster a positive safety culture.
• To ensure the effective communication of the Policy throughout our operations, we continually update a series of Safety, Health and Environmental standards and guidelines to which all of our operations are required to adhere.

We commit to making available adequate resources to ensure the effective implementation of this Policy.

Click here for our Corporate Social Responsibility policy and SHE Standards. 

CSR Policy (English)	CSR Policy (Romanian)

Process and rain water will be reused wherever practicable. All discharged water will be carefully monitored to prevent harm to the receiving system.  All discharge consents granted by the competent authority for quality and quantity will be complied with, or surpassed. Where an international code of practice implies a better limit, endeavours will be made to meet this. Practicable measures will be introduced to protect the broader aquatic environment.

Click here to read about water management at our Stratoni operation.

Emissions to air will be monitored at the discharge point and at the boundary of all projects. Emissions will be minimised and all applicable air quality permits will be complied with.  Vehicles, generators, fixed and mobile plant will be properly maintained and turned off whenever not in use.

The use of all energy sources, notably fuel oils and electricity, will be minimised.  Buildings will be effectively designed to reduce heat losses and to automatically turn off lights for areas not in use.  Motors will be sourced and operated to minimise power consumption.

Operating companies will work closely with community establishments and organisations such as schools and youth clubs and be proactive in arranging visits, placements and open days.  They will continually look for synergies between operations and the needs of the community.  A policy of local recruitment and purchase will be applied where skills and infrastructure exist or can be readily developed.

Click here to read about our investment in the Certej community.

All incidental waste will be segregated and stored only in clearly marked appropriate facilities or containers. Wherever possible waste will be reused or recycled.  Where this is not practicable, such waste will be kept in a suitably labelled container for shipment to an offsite facility, or returned to the supplier as appropriate. Records will be kept of waste shipped for disposal, with targets set to reduce the amount of such waste per unit of production.

Click here to read about the management of waste at our Stratoni operation.

Local flora and fauna will be respected at all times. Extensive baseline surveys will be carried out during the planning of all of our projects. Vulnerable species will be identified and biodiversity management plans developed to protect these. These will include if appropriate, trapping and relocation as well as identifying areas to assist repopulation during rehabilitation and closure phases.

Restoration plans will be established in consultation with local communities e.g. types of trees and where they are planted, aiming to leave areas improved compared to their original condition. Where achievable rehabilitation will commence during the production phase of operations so as to ensure that final restoration is as quick as is practicable.