Nathan Monash, Vice President of Business Sustainability, Lundin Gold

As the mining industry seeks to demonstrate that it can drive broader development, Lundin Gold is working with other stakeholders to integrate mining with other parts of the economy and generate positive opportunities for locals.

• Interview

How is a mining company’s approach to sustainability in Ecuador different from other countries?

Ecuador has a great deal of experience with smallscale and artisanal mining, but less so with largescale mining. As a large-scale mining company, it was essential to explain in a transparent manner what this industry is, how large-scale projects are built responsibly, and both the benefits of such projects and the timeframe over which such benefits accrue. Together with local communities, Lundin Gold worked to establish a participatory dialogue process to identify priorities for investment. These community roundtables seek to ensure that a large-scale mining project addresses critical issues and brings positive change. Lundin Gold is committed to aligning its community investment with the priorities identified in the community roundtables.

As part of its sustainability policy, Lundin Gold has been focusing its efforts on creating partnerships with the academia. How is this contributing to the professionalization of Ecuador’s mining sector?

We consider academic institutions to be key stakeholders in the development of a responsible mining industry. Therefore, since our arrival in Ecuador, we have sought to expand our relationships and collaboration with the academic community. With respect to higher education, we have signed formal cooperation agreements with the National University of Loja, the Technical Particular University of Loja (UTPL), and the Polytechnic School of Guayaquil (ESPOL), among others. Lundin Gold believes that mining is a catalyst for long-term sustainable economic development. Large-scale mining must facilitate a transition from natural capital to human capital. This is achieved through education, training, and partnerships. We also believe it is important to share with academia our progress at Fruta del Norte. On an ongoing basis, we visit academic institutions to present and discuss our sustainability strategy and environmental practices. Our support for academic institutions is not limited to universities. We also work closely with local secondary schools to improve the quality of education and encourage students to remain in school. These jointly implemented projects promote sustainable development in Zamora Chinchipe.

Lundin Gold also works to build capacity in other sectors such as tourism or agriculture. How does the company work to bring technical capabilities to these areas?

Local communities have a significant expectation regarding the level of economic activity a mining project will create. Moreover, the mining industry in Ecuador seeks to demonstrate that it can drive broader development. In the community round

“With the support of the Lundin Gold, the Lundin Foundation, and several universities, the Shuar Federation inaugurated its Cultural Interpretation Center for Shuar People in 2018.”

tables, employment and broader-based economic activity are the top issues, and so we knew we had to take a broader view. Local communities near the mine tend to have agricultural economies, and so we started by considering how mining and agriculture can work together. Through the community roundtable, we identified a number of key challenges the sector faces locally and how we can work with farmers and external entities to address them. Lundin Gold has connected local producers with the company and other potential buyers. We have also made efforts to integrate communities into country-wide supply chains by helping them to meet quality and industrial hygiene requirements. We are working with tourism experts to identify the strengths of the Zamora Chinchipe area and thus help the community become a tourism destination. We work closely with the Shuar Federation of Zamora Chinchipe on issues of cultural preservation. With the support of the Lundin Gold, the Lundin Foundation, and several universities, the Shuar Federation inaugurated its Cultural Interpretation Center for Shuar People in 2018.

What steps can be taken to localize the mining industry?

There has been exploration in the past; however, for the first time, two large-scale projects will go into operation. Efforts must continue to develop and integrate local suppliers as well as community members into the workforce. At Fruta del Norte, we have developed and implemented local hiring and procurement strategies, invested in and supported local vendors and suppliers, and financed a series of multi-year educational and capacity building programs. ✖

Partnerships with academia key to the promotion of responsible mining

Nathan Monash VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY, LUNDIN GOLD