Rupert Resources (“Rupert” or “The Company”) is pleased to announce that it has published a baseline sustainability report which identifies stakeholders, material issues and considers appropriate industry standards and best practice as the company continues to progress development of its Ikkari Discovery in Northern Finland. The report also contains an emissions report for the Company’s current mineral exploration activities. The report is available on Rupert Resources website in its Responsible Development section and can be located using the following link here.
Gunnar Nilsson, Chairman of Rupert Resources Ltd said: ”As a fiduciary body we are ever mindful that acting responsibly in business and as an industry is vital to our success long-term. The values and actions detailed in this report truly reflect that commitment and mindfulness. On behalf of our Board, I’d like especially to commend our employees for helping to move our sustainability programme forward and for their contributions to this report. We are able to have a positive impact on people and their surroundings both inside and outside of our organisation because of their dedication and drive. Finally, I would like to convey how proud we are to be new participants in the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), a public commitment we make to principles of human rights, labour, the environment, and anti-corruption. This report forms our first communication on progress to the UNGC, and we look forward already to next year’s update.”
James Withall, Chief Executive Officer of Rupert Resources Ltd said: “We’re proud to present this report as the culmination of work begun in 2018 to implement a formal sustainability strategy into our operations as we move through the permitting phase to the design and development phases of our Ikkari exploration site in Northern Finland. Towards this end we have completed stakeholder analysis, identified high priority material topics, assessed relevant sustainability frameworks, and scanned our industry and beyond for models of best practice. We welcome and encourage your feedback on this report through our website or any of our other communication channels.”
Rupert Resources has initiated a sustainability program with Grain Sustainability, a specialist consultancy. Initial work included the development of assessment, planning and implementation tools with the goal of creating a positive impact on people and the planet, increasing stakeholder engagement and providing competitive advantage. The key aim for the Company is to evaluate, alongside technical studies, the broader impacts of the future development of the Rupert Lapland Project. The work is informed by and aligned with a number of recognised sustainability standards including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Future-Fit Business Benchmark, and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Alignment will also be sought with the globally-recognised Paris Agreement and Finland’s 2035 net zero target. The Company has also committed to three further frameworks which guide sustainability strategy and action: International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), The Finnish Network for Sustainable Mining (FNSM) and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). The Company has issued its first annual sustainability report for the year 2021 to act as a base for future work and includes estimates of the emissions from current operations at the Project. Further technical studies will include evaluations of the potential emissions profiles of the development options for inclusion in the EIA programme and annual sustainability reports.
