Communities

Evolution is proud to support communities across Australia and Canada as an employer, partner and neighbour.

We have strong and enduring ties to the communities where we operate and live, with 70% of our employees living locally.¹  Given these communities experience the most direct social, environmental and economic impacts from our business, we understand that long-term success relies on maintaining our social licence to operate.

Proactive and continuous engagement helps us to understand impacts or concerns. In addition, a majority local workforce helps us strengthen relationships and understand expectations. We aim to transparently share information and take a collaborative approach to decision-making in areas of mutual interest.

We regularly assess how we contribute to the communities where we operate through a range of mechanisms and engagement activities including our biennial Stakeholder Perception Survey, Assurance Program and other local engagements.

We strive to provide a range of benefits to communities where we operate, including by employing local people and sourcing goods and services from national and local suppliers. We also contribute to critical infrastructure such as health and education facilities to enhance living standards for generations to come, and contribute to broader economic resilience through taxes, royalties and other government payments.

1 See the ‘People’ tab of our ESG performance data for further detail.

We commit to respecting and enhancing the human rights, land and resource rights, interests, concerns, traditional land uses, and cultural activities of our First Nations partners and Indigenous peoples within the communities where we operate. These stakeholders are among the first and most directly impacted by our operations, exploration and project activities, particularly in relation to culture, environment and socioeconomic status.

We recognise our role in reconciliation and responsibility to meaningfully consult, engage, and support First Nations communities to enable equitable access to employment, health, training and educational opportunities. Our vision for reconciliation is one where First Nations partners and Indigenous peoples have equal access to opportunities and resources, are treated equally in all relationships and have their cultures and histories celebrated and respected.

We work with our First Nations partners to ensure mutually beneficial outcomes and their full realisation of social, economic, and cultural rights. For Evolution, this means:

• Building and maintaining relationships based on mutual trust, respect, understanding and free, prior and informed consent.
• Promoting the rights and outcomes of First Nations partners and Indigenous peoples, including self-determination, capacity building, lasting employment and subcontractor opportunities.
• Integrating cultural recognition and reconciliation into our operational culture, and supporting cultural inclusion, skills and knowledge amongst our workforce.

We have endorsement to implement a Reconciliation Plan, which will encompass our Australian and Canadian reconciliation journeys and provide a structured approach to advance reconciliation. For further detail see our Sustainability Report and ESG performance data in our Document Centre.

As the short-term custodians of the land on which we operate, we respect the rights and role of First Nations partners and Indigenous peoples. We value our partnerships and are committed to collaborating to identify, protect and preserve Indigenous cultural heritage, and promote our First Nations partners and Indigenous peoples’ history, culture and outcomes.

We work closely with our First Nations partners to continuously manage risks, identify and preserve cultural heritage sites, and incorporate traditional knowledge where appropriate. Cultural awareness and the customs and traditions of First Nations partners are included in site inductions, and we support initiatives that celebrate and promote host community cultures.

Prior to any development, we conduct archaeological and ethnographic assessments, due diligence and surveys to ensure Traditional Owners are identified and cultural and heritage rights are protected. Where there is significant archaeological and cultural heritage present, we implement Cultural Heritage Management Plans that outline the reasonable steps to avoid disturbance to significant sites, or, where unavoidable, to minimise impacts through appropriate relocation, excavation or mitigation strategies.

Information about identified cultural heritage sites is shared with the First Nations partners and with relevant government departments. These sites are recorded and mapped to avoid unintentional disturbance, destruction or damage through our activities.

Our specific obligations and protocols are documented in agreements with relevant First Nations partners.

For detail on how we manage cultural heritage, our targets and performance see our Sustainability Report and ESG performance data in our Document Centre.

We have an established tradition of supporting innovative, targeted initiatives in the communities surrounding our operations, while also contributing to nationally and globally relevant programs.

Our community investment approach looks to address local challenges or opportunities and support long-term socioeconomic development and prosperity in local communities. We aim to strengthen local social and economic institutions and infrastructure, and build the skills, capacities and capabilities that diversify economic activity.

We generally invest in initiatives that have an impact across infrastructure capability, local economic development, health and wellbeing, community resilience, skills, education and training, environmental stewardship and arts, culture and sport.

Our investment approach includes:

• Sponsorships and donations: managed at the site level to respond to local needs, events and initiatives. For more information, including application forms, see the sponsorships and donations page.
• Shared value projects (SVPs): long-term partnerships designed to deliver sustainable legacies for communities where we operate. For annual updates on our current SVPs see our Sustainability Report in our Document Centre.

For detail on community investment and performance see our Sustainability Report and ESG performance data in our Document Centre.