Case study: How Antamina promotes ethical business behaviour
As one of the world’s largest poly-metallic mining complexes, producing copper, zinc, molybdenum, silver and lead concentrates, located in the Andes Mountains of Peru – and as one of the largest Peruvian producers of copper and zinc concentrates –, Antamina is committed to producing and delivering high quality concentrate responsibly and to operating with integrity. Tweet This!
This case study is based on the 2016 Sustainability Report by Antamina published on the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Disclosure Database that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate what CSR/ sustainability reporting done responsibly means. Essentially, it means: a) identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment, economy and society, and b) measuring, managing and changing.
Abstract
Abstract
Antamina strives to stand by its word, honor its commitments and operate according to the highest standards of ethics and honesty. In order to promote ethical business behaviour Antamina took action to:
- set standards of behaviour through the Code of Conduct
- provide employees with an Ethics Hotline
- fight corruption
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With this case study you will see:
- Which are the most important impacts (material issues) Antamina has identified;
- How Antamina proceeded with stakeholder engagement, and
- What actions were taken by Antamina to promote ethical business behaviour
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What are the material issues the company has identified?
In its 2016 Sustainability Report Antamina identified a range of material issues, such as economic performance, health and safety in the workplace, discharges and waste, local communities. Among these, promoting ethical business behaviour stands out as a key material issue for Antamina.
Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:
Stakeholders must be consulted in the process s of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.
Key stakeholder groups Antamina engages with:
| Stakeholder Group | Method of engagement |
| Shareholders | · Quarterly and annual reports · Advisory Committee |
| Community
| · Round tables of discussion and development (strengthens Institutionalism) · Forums for cooperation · Environmental committees · Joint environmental monitoring activities · Community meetings · Community liaison processes under the multi-actor model · Guided visits to the Mine and Punta Lobitos Port |
| Environment | · Relationship building with stakeholders · Access to environmental information · Technical visits to the mine and Huarmey port · Mechanisms for conflict resolution and inquiries with the authorities · Participatory environmental committees · Submission of water and air environmental performance reports to the relevant authorities |
| Government | · Round tables for dialogue and development · Coordination meetings and forums for cooperation |
| Strategic partners | · Transport Carrier Committee · Web Page · Monthly MASSC Committee Meetings (MASSC Spanish acronym for Environment, Health, Safety and Communities) · “Suppliers of Excellence” Program · “Exporting Ancash” Program · Annual performance assessment · Monthly Strategic Partner Committee meetings |
| Collaborators | · Bimonthly magazine (published every two months) entitled “Forjando Antamina” · Intranet · Web Page · Digital Channel (instead of wall newspapers) · Digital bulletins · Corporate press releases and notices · Infographics · Cartoons · Radio Yanacancha · Audiovisual Production |
| Labor Union | · Joint Committee of Trade Union and Company · Joint Committee of Health and Safety |
How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues
To identify and prioritize material issues Antamina carried out dialogue sessions with various stakeholder groups.
What actions were taken by Antamina to promote ethical business behaviour?
In its 2016 Sustainability Report Antamina reports that it took the following actions for promoting ethical business behaviour:
- Setting standards of behaviour through the Code of Conduct
- Antamina’s Code of Conduct sets the standards of behaviour and rules regarding how employees work and relate with suppliers and customers, as well as with members of the community and other people connected with the company. Every employees signs this code when starting to work for the company, as a sign of their commitment and compliance. The Code of Conduct is available to the public at www.antamina.com and also includes a section on conflicts of interest. Antamina carries out information and awareness development campaigns to prevent conflicts of interest, along with face-to-face training and E-learning sessions for all employees.
- Providing employees with an Ethics Hotline
- Antamina has established an Ethics Hotline, managed by a third party and operating 24 hours a day, for all complaints regarding ethics violations, illegal activities and matters relating to the company’s integrity. Antamina’s Compliance Department is responsible for reviewing all complaints received through a Compliance Specialist Officer, and all employees can file complaints anonymously, without fear of retaliation.
- Fighting corruption
- In 2016, Antamina carried out 33 face-to-face training sessions on the company’s anticorruption system, with more than 175 employees attending the sessions. In addition, Antamina implemented an E-Learning program regarding the fight against corruption. All employees had to log in and complete a test on the program’s platform and, in 2016, 99.87% of employees logged in and passed the test, within the specified time limit.
Which GRI indicators/Standards have been addressed?
The GRI indicators/Standards addressed in this case are:
1) G4-SO3: Total number and percentage of operations assessed for risks related to corruption and the significant risks identified – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 205-1 Operations assessed for risks related to corruption
2) G4-SO4: Communication and training on anti-corruption policies and procedures – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 205-2 Communication and training about anti-corruption policies and procedures
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References:
1) This case study is based on published information by Antamina, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original, please revert to the original on the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Disclosure Database at the link:
http://database.globalreporting.org/
2) http://www.fbrh.co.uk/en/global-reporting-initiative-gri-g4-guidelines-download-page
3) https://g4.globalreporting.org/Pages/default.aspx
4) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/
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