VANCOUVER, BC, June 13,
2022 /PRNewswire/ - B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO) (NYSE
AMERICAN: BTG) (NSX: B2G) ("B2Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to
announce that it has published its sixth annual Responsible Mining
Report entitled "Raising the Bar" (the "Report"), which details
B2Gold's global economic contributions and its environmental,
social, and governance management practices, together with the
Company's performance against key indicators in 2021. Full details
are outlined in the Report, which is available to view or download
at www.b2gold.com. All dollar figures are in United
States dollars unless otherwise indicated.
In announcing the release of the Report, Clive Johnson,
President & CEO of B2Gold, states "in reflecting on 2021 and
its continued challenges, from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, to
social or political unrest, to the effects of climate change around
the globe, I have asked myself how we as a company have managed to
navigate and adapt while still meeting our targets and goals. It
has become clear to me that the answer always comes back to
B2Gold's core values of fairness, respect, transparency and
accountability."
Highlights from 2021 "Raising the
Bar" Responsible Mining Report
Economic Contribution
As a responsible gold miner, B2Gold aims to create and
distribute economic value among its stakeholders. B2Gold's
successful business results benefit its shareholders along with the
many other stakeholders in the countries, regions, and communities
where it operates. The economic value that the Company generates is
distributed among its many stakeholders through local hiring and
procurement, direct investment in communities, and payments to
governments in the form of taxes and royalties. In 2021,
B2Gold:
- achieved record annual gold production for the 13th consecutive
year;
- generated $1.76 billion in Annual Revenue;
- paid $153 million as Employee Wages and
Benefits;
- spent $9.4 million on Community Investment; and
- paid $408 million to Governments (through taxes and
royalties).
B2Gold is committed to maximizing local and national economic
benefits from our contracting and purchasing. The Company is aware
of the high priority that host communities and governments place on
local procurement. In sourcing the goods and services necessary to
run its operations, B2Gold gives preference to local businesses
where possible, provided they meet minimum safety, quality,
ethical, and cost requirements. In 2021, over 65% of goods and
services were procured from local and host country businesses.
Several 2021 success stories are outlined in the Report.
People
As a reputable corporate citizen, B2Gold generates local
employment and opportunities for people to develop their careers,
train employees to acquire new skills, and open doors to women,
under-represented groups, and previously disadvantaged people.
At the end of 2021, B2Gold employed 4,6891 people
across all operations. The Company continues to maintain high
local employment rates by targeting recruitment efforts at regional
and national levels, with neighbouring communities being given
preference for employment opportunities for unskilled roles. At all
B2Gold mines, expatriate employees and advisors are required to
transfer skills to identified national employees and mentor
appointed understudies.
Across all B2Gold operations, 97% of the total workforce is
comprised of local2 employees (an increase from 95% in
2020). Where B2Gold operates abroad, 64% of Senior Management is
local, a notable increase from 55% in 2020.
In late 2021, B2Gold implemented a refreshed Policy on
Equitable, Diverse and Inclusive (EDI) Workplaces. As articulated
in the policy, the Company is dedicated to equitable treatment of
all persons, irrespective of gender, race, ethnicity, nationality,
religion and sexual orientation, as well as the reasonable and safe
accommodation of people with disabilities. In 2021, B2Gold's
workforce saw an increase in female representation to 642 (from
575), which is 13.7% of its total workforce (13.4% in 2020), and
24% of B2Gold's senior positions were occupied by women in 2021
(23% in 2020).
Health and Safety
In 2021, the global pandemic continued to challenge the
Company's ability to keep its people healthy and safe. B2Gold
continued with its robust COVID-19 screening and prevention
measures established in 2020, and has worked hard to ensure the
highest rates of vaccination across all B2Gold operations. As a
result of its injury prevention measures, B2Gold is pleased to
report that for the sixth consecutive year it has maintained a
zero-fatality workplace and further reduced its Lost Time Injury
Frequency Rate (LTIFR) and Severity Rate.
B2Gold's consolidated LTIFR and Severity Rate were both reduced
from 2020 to 2021, with the LTIFR decreasing from 0.06 to 0.05 and
the Severity Rate from 3.53 to 3.46. B2Gold maintained its Total
Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) at 0.27, which remains one
of the lowest in the mining industry and is 54% lower than the
group average for ICMM member companies (0.59 in
20203).
Environment
At an operational level, B2Gold is implementing its 2020 to 2022
Environmental Strategic Plan, which identifies key environmental
aspects for improvement and defines specific objectives and targets
for its operations. The Environmental Strategic Plan provides a
road map for improved environmental risk management and performance
in line with the overall Company strategy.
B2Gold recognizes that society, including business, must act
against climate change and it is implementing a series of changes
within the Company as a key aspect of our Environmental Strategic
Plan. In 2021, B2Gold updated its strategy for managing climate
risk and in February 2022 the Company
published its inaugural Climate Strategy Report. This report
details the Company's governance and oversight of its strategy,
explains its risk management approach, and presents a preliminary
assessment of climate scenarios and prioritized climate risks.
B2Gold supports the objectives set by the Paris Agreement to
limit the rise in global temperature to well below 2°C, and will
continue to evaluate its climate risk management initiatives to
align with these objectives. In 2022, B2Gold will further develop
climate scenarios and assess its business and financial
implications. The Company is studying various initiatives to
increase energy efficiency at its operations and to increase the
proportion of its renewable energy sources of its total energy
consumption. In 2022, B2Gold will issue its first greenhouse gas
emissions reduction target.
Throughout 2021, B2Gold continued its biodiversity conservation
programs at its various sites around the world. Download the full
Report and read more about B2Gold's monitoring of chimpanzees
in Mali, a study to assess the health status of an indigenous
tree species in Namibia, and the
coastal management plan in the
Philippines.
________________________
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1
|
Employee total includes
Gramalote Colombia Limited employees. It also includes supervised
contracted labour but does not include unsupervised contractor
employees. The reported numbers include full-time and part-time
permanent employees as well as temporary employees.
|
2
|
"Local" is defined as
individuals either born in the same country of operation or who
have the legal right to reside indefinitely in that country. In
Namibia, as per the Namibian Affirmative Action (Employment) Act,
"Local" is defined as "Namibian", which excludes expatriates,
permanent residents, and those who have domicile.
|
3
|
Safety Performance:
Benchmarking progress of ICMM company members in 2020,
https://www.icmm.com/en-gb/research/health-safety/benchmarking-2020-safety-data
|
Approach to Reporting
B2Gold is committed to the transparency of our sustainability
risks, management, and performance. the Company has reported in
alignment with the GRI Standards since 2016, and in 2021 B2Gold
added the SASB Standard as reporting framework to its Responsible
Mining Report. While the GRI Standards help companies communicate
their sustainability impacts, the SASB Standard was designed to
help companies communicate how different sustainability issues
impact a company's long-term value.
B2Gold firmly believes that the mining industry has an
opportunity to contribute positively to the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and it has reported the
Company's contribution in this regard since 2018.
COVID-19 Response
Statement
The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic created opportunities
for the mining industry to demonstrate its ability to adapt to
changing operating circumstances. As a result of B2Gold's culture
of health and safety and support for the communities where it
operates, B2Gold was able to successfully respond to the challenges
posed by COVID-19, contributing to community resilience and
sustained positive economic impacts in the countries where B2Gold
operates.
In 2021, various measures such as changes to rotations, COVID-19
site incentives, fatigue management, mental health support,
increased site accommodation, flexible work arrangements, and
revised illness and disability policies successfully supported the
Company's workforce through the turbulent times of COVID-19. Strong
employee relations were sustained at all operations through
proactive communication from management and through employee
representative committees and/or COVID-19 committees regarding
changing measures, policies, and employee support and benefits. The
Employee Engagement Committee at Masbate won the 2021 regional and
national award for the Most Outstanding Labour Management
Cooperation for Industrial Peace. The award recognized labour
management initiatives that remained true to the values of
cooperation and partnership despite the challenges brought about by
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Armed with additional knowledge and tools to successfully manage
the COVID-19 pandemic's impacts, B2Gold will continue to work with
its host communities and local, regional and national governments,
and the private sector to find new ways to adapt to the "new
normal" as the pandemic enters its third year. At B2Gold, our
sustainable business strategy has allowed us to be well positioned
to maintain agility and resilience as the world completes its
recovery.
To view or download a copy of the Report, please visit
www.b2gold.com/responsible-mining/esg-reporting-portal/.
About B2Gold Corp.
B2Gold is a low-cost international senior gold
producer headquartered in Vancouver,
Canada. Founded in 2007, today, B2Gold has three operating
gold mines and numerous development and exploration projects in
various countries including Mali,
the Philippines, Namibia, Colombia, Finland and Uzbekistan. This year, B2Gold forecasts gold
production to be 990,000 to 1,050,000 ounces.
ON BEHALF OF B2GOLD CORP.
"Clive T. Johnson"
President & Chief Executive Officer
For more information on B2Gold, please visit the Company website
at www.b2gold.com or contact:
Randall
Chatwin
Senior Vice President, Legal & Corporate Communications
+1 604-681-8371
rchatwin@b2gold.com;
|
Cherry
DeGeer
Director, Corporate Communications
+1 604-681-8371
cdegeer@b2gold.com
|
The Toronto Stock Exchange and NYSE American LLC neither
approve nor disapprove the information contained in this news
release.
Production guidance presented in this news release reflect
total production at the mines B2Gold operates on a 100% project
basis. Please see our Annual Information Form dated March 30,
2021 for a discussion of our ownership interest in the mines
B2Gold operates.
This news release includes certain "forward-looking
information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively
forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable
Canadian and United States securities legislation,
including: projections; outlook; guidance; forecasts; estimates;
and other statements regarding future or estimated financial and
operational performance, gold production and sales, revenues and
cash flows, and capital costs (sustaining and non-sustaining) and
operating costs, and including, without limitation: total
consolidated gold production of between 990,000 and 1,050,000
ounces in 2022. All statements in this news release that address
events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are
statements that are not historical facts and are generally,
although not always, identified by words such as "expect", "plan",
"anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule",
"forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend" or "believe" and similar
expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or
conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might"
occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the
opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements
are made.
Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions,
risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond B2Gold's
control, including risks associated with or related to: the
duration and extent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the effectiveness of
preventative measures and contingency plans put in place by the
Company to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including, but not
limited to, social distancing, a non-essential travel ban, business
continuity plans, and efforts to mitigate supply chain disruptions;
escalation of travel restrictions on people or products and
reductions in the ability of the Company to transport and refine
doré; the volatility of metal prices and B2Gold's common shares;
changes in tax laws; the dangers inherent in exploration,
development and mining activities; the uncertainty of reserve and
resource estimates; not achieving production, cost or other
estimates; actual production, development plans and costs differing
materially from the estimates in B2Gold's feasibility and other
studies; the ability to obtain and maintain any necessary permits,
consents or authorizations required for mining activities;
environmental regulations or hazards and compliance with complex
regulations associated with mining activities; climate change and
climate change regulations; the ability to replace mineral reserves
and identify acquisition opportunities; the unknown liabilities of
companies acquired by B2Gold; the ability to successfully integrate
new acquisitions; fluctuations in exchange rates; the availability
of financing; financing and debt activities, including potential
restrictions imposed on B2Gold's operations as a result thereof and
the ability to generate sufficient cash flows; operations in
foreign and developing countries and the compliance with foreign
laws, including those associated with operations
in Mali, Namibia, the Philippine
and Colombia and including risks related to changes in
foreign laws and changing policies related to mining and local
ownership requirements or resource nationalization generally,
including in response to the COVID-19 outbreak; remote operations
and the availability of adequate infrastructure; fluctuations in
price and availability of energy and other inputs necessary for
mining operations; shortages or cost increases in necessary
equipment, supplies and labour; regulatory, political and country
risks, including local instability or acts of terrorism and the
effects thereof; the reliance upon contractors, third parties and
joint venture partners; the lack of sole decision-making authority
related to Filminera Resources Corporation, which owns the Masbate
Project; challenges to title or surface rights; the dependence on
key personnel and the ability to attract and retain skilled
personnel; the risk of an uninsurable or uninsured loss; adverse
climate and weather conditions; litigation risk; competition with
other mining companies; community support for B2Gold's operations,
including risks related to strikes and the halting of such
operations from time to time; conflicts with small scale miners;
failures of information systems or information security threats;
the ability to maintain adequate internal controls over financial
reporting as required by law, including Section 404 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act; compliance with anti-corruption laws, and
sanctions or other similar measures; social media and B2Gold's
reputation; risks affecting Calibre having an impact on the value
of the Company's investment in Calibre, and potential dilution of
our equity interest in Calibre; as well as other factors identified
and as described in more detail under the heading "Risk Factors" in
B2Gold's most recent Annual Information Form, B2Gold's current Form
40-F Annual Report and B2Gold's other filings with Canadian
securities regulators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC"), which may be viewed
at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov,
respectively (the "Websites"). The list is not exhaustive of the
factors that may affect B2Gold's forward-looking statements
B2Gold's forward-looking statements are based on the
applicable assumptions and factors management considers reasonable
as of the date hereof, based on the information available to
management at such time. These assumptions and factors include, but
are not limited to, assumptions and factors related to B2Gold's
ability to carry on current and future operations, including: the
duration and effects of COVID-19 on our operations and
workforce; development and exploration activities; the timing,
extent, duration and economic viability of such operations,
including any mineral resources or reserves identified thereby; the
accuracy and reliability of estimates, projections, forecasts,
studies and assessments; B2Gold's ability to meet or achieve
estimates, projections and forecasts; the availability and cost of
inputs; the price and market for outputs, including gold; foreign
exchange rates; taxation levels; the timely receipt of necessary
approvals or permits; the ability to meet current and future
obligations; the ability to obtain timely financing on reasonable
terms when required; the current and future social, economic and
political conditions; and other assumptions and factors generally
associated with the mining industry.
B2Gold's forward-looking statements are based on the opinions
and estimates of management and reflect their current expectations
regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as
of the date hereof. B2Gold does not assume any obligation to update
forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's
beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as
required by applicable law. There can be no assurance that
forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual
results, performance or achievements could differ materially from
those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking
statements. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that any events
anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or
occur, or if any of them do, what benefits or liabilities B2Gold
will derive therefrom. For the reasons set forth above, undue
reliance should not be placed on forward-looking
statements.
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SOURCE B2Gold Corp.