Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD Corporation - Sustainability

Accountability

Environmental and social practices in the mining industry have undergone a tremendous evolution over the past two decades, especially in the gold mining sector. The expectations of society have expanded as a burgeoning world population drives the increased demand for natural resources.

Current mining practices and the rigorous controls we use to manage environmental and social risks are often unknown or misunderstood outside our industry. At the same time, our stakeholders have become more informed, and they demand, rightfully so, that we deliver a high level of environmental and social performance along with a demonstrated ability to effectively manage risk.

Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD participates in several global initiatives and codes of practice that establish standards and ground rules for strong environmental, social and ethical performance across the mining industry. Most of these initiatives and codes of practice have been developed with input from many stakeholder groups, including some of our harshest critics. Participation in these external initiatives improves our transparency, builds credibility with external stakeholders and positions Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD as an industry leader.

Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD was the first gold company selected to join the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and has been included every year since 2007. The DJSI World Index tracks the leading 10 percent of companies, in terms of sustainability, out of the largest 2,500 companies worldwide. Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD’s participation in the initiatives mentioned below makes a positive evaluation by the DJSI possible. Companies are evaluated and selected every year through a systematic corporate sustainability assessment that identifies leaders based on a variety of criteria including climate change strategies, energy consumption, human resources development, knowledge management, stakeholder relations and corporate governance.

These initiatives and activities complement our internal standards and guidelines in environmental and social responsibility. They also provide an opportunity for Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD to verify and report on our performance.

Some of the initiatives guiding our environmental and social performance are described below:

Our Memberships and Commitments

World Economic Forum’s Compact for Responsive and Responsible Leadership International Council on Mining and Metals Sustainable Development Framework (ICMM) Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPSHR) CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) International Cyanide Management Institute’s Cyanide Management Code Occupational Health and Safety Audit System 18001 (OHSAS) Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI) Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

World Economic Forum’s Compact for Responsive and Responsible Leadership

In 2016, Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Gary Goldberg, signed the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Compact for Responsive and Responsible Leadership on behalf of the Company.

The Compact is sponsored by the International Business Council of the WEF and commits signatory businesses and their boards of directors to creating a corporate governance framework with a focus on the long-term sustainability of corporations and the long-term goals of society. To view the signed compact Click Here

International Council on Mining and Metals Sustainable Development Framework (ICMM)

As a founding member of ICMM, Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD commits to implementing ICMM’s 10 Principles for Sustainable Development, which define aspects of corporate governance, environmental stewardship and community engagement that are crucial to Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD’s ability to contribute to sustainable development. Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD also commits to measuring and reporting its performance against the ICMM principles through its annual sustainability report and to having that report independently verified (“assured”) by a third party. //www.icmm.com/

Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPSHR)

Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD participates in the VPSHR as part of a global effort to promote the protection of human rights. The principles are designed to guide companies in maintaining the safety and security of their operations within a framework that ensures respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Participants include the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway and the Netherlands, along with companies operating in the extractive and energy sectors and non-governmental organizations. As a formal participant, Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD provides annual reports of its efforts to implement and promote the principles in the regions where we operate. www.voluntaryprinciples.org

CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project)

CDP is a not-for-profit investor research organization that represents more than 800 global investors with a combined $100 trillion in assets. CDP believes that organizations that demonstrate leadership in managing climate and water risk are more adaptive, resilient and stable and provide superior returns on investment than those that don’t. Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD has participated in CDP’s annual Climate Change questionnaire since 2007 and Water Security questionnaire since 2012. www.cdproject.net

International Cyanide Management Institute’s Cyanide Management Code

In 2005, Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD became one of the first signatories of the Code, which aims to improve the safe transport, storage and use of cyanide to protect human health and reduce the potential for environmental harm. Signatories are committed to following the Code’s principles, implementing its standards of practice and being audited against the Code by third-party auditors. All of Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD’s operations that were active in 2009 have been certified by a third party as conforming to the Code’s standards. www.cyanidecode.org

Occupational Health and Safety Audit System 18001 (OHSAS)

OHSAS’ internationally accepted standards define the requirements for establishing, implementing and operating Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD’s occupational health and safety management system and provides independent verification of that system through third-party audits.www.ohsas-18001-occupational-health-and-safety.com

Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI)

Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD is a founding member and signatory to the World Economic Forum’s Partnering Against Corruption Initiative. Honoring its commitment to PACI, Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD put in place a zero-tolerance policy for bribery and corruption. In addition, employees across the Company must complete a comprehensive training program to prevent corruption, based on PACI’s principles. Our PACI program also includes the more stringent U.K. Bribery Act requirements, which prohibit the receipt of commercial bribes and kickbacks. https://www.weforum.org/communities/partnering-against-corruption-initiative

Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)

Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD is one of 28 global companies actively involved with EITI’s efforts to improve governance in resource-rich countries. While the Initiative’s efforts focus primarily on building the capacity and will of national governments to transparently account for revenues received from extractive industries, Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD supports this effort by openly disclosing its tax and royalty payments. Such programs are designed to reduce the devastating effects that corruption can have on economic development and the rule of law in these contexts. www.eiti.org

Message from the CEO

Transparency around taxes, royalties and payments to governments from natural resource development is essential to building trust with stakeholders – transparency coupled with strong governance promotes accountability for both companies and governments alike. Internationally accepted standards like EITI provide both the framework and credibility to our efforts as a company to truly deliver on our purpose of creating value and improving lives through our payments to governments and our broader contributions to local economic development.”

– Tom Palmer, President and Chief Executive Officer

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

Sacramento Gold Mining Co. LTD reports sustainability performance in accordance with the GRI Standards Core level of reporting, and incorporates indicators from the GRI Mining and Metals Sector supplement in reporting. We have been reporting to GRI sustainability reporting frameworks and standards since 2010; we also actively engage with the GRI organization – as a company, and through ICMM sector level engagement – in the development, updates, and harmonization of reporting protocols and metrics. www.globalreporting.org