The 2023 Lundin Foundation Sustainability Summit, held from January 28th to February 2nd in Ecuador, brought together over 60 sustainability and community development professionals from throughout the Lundin group.
In recent years, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) has gained significant traction across industries worldwide. While ESG considerations are relevant across sectors, they hold particular importance for resource development. With their inherent impact on the environment, local communities, and long-term sustainability, resource development operations are increasingly under scrutiny, necessitating a paradigm shift towards responsible and sustainable practices.
As pressing ESG trends emerge and regulations and disclosure requirements shift, our team at the Lundin Foundation prioritizes ongoing learning and information sharing to ensure Lundin companies remain proactive and agile. Our Sustainability Summit creates an opportunity to improve our collective knowledge on pressing environmental, social and governance topics across Lundin companies.
This year’s Summit returned after a hiatus due to COVID and consisted of an action-packed five days of professional development sessions coupled with field and site visits. Workshops addressed integrating sustainability into business processes, decarbonization strategies, impact management investment and local supply chain development. Roundtable discussions explored biodiversity, women in mining, climate resilience, human rights and storytelling. There was also an opportunity to collaborate on problem-solving real-world challenges faced by the participants and showcase innovative approaches to sustainability challenges.
Key Topics Covered:
- Climate Change & Decarbonization
- Community Development, Local Procurement and Impact Monitoring
- Biodiversity Management
- ESG Rating Agencies, Disclosures & Reporting
- Sustainable Finance
In addition to the workshops and roundtables, Summit attendees spent time in the field to see first-hand the results of some of these strategies in Ecuador created in partnership with Lundin Gold. This included a special visit to Shuarnum, the Shuar Cultural and Interpretation Centre, and the Fruta del Norte mine.
The Lundin Foundation continues to play a critical role in supporting Lundin companies in their strategic implementation of ESG priorities. The Summit was an incredible opportunity to leverage the energy, passion and expertise across the Lundin companies. We look forward to hosting our next Summit in 2024 to not only ensure the long-term sustainability of company operations but also pave the way for a more responsible, transparent, and socially beneficial industry.
