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The Lundin Foundation
The first question country leaders often ask when a company wishes to develop a mine within their borders is how communities will benefit from the development. Leading examples of how mining revenue can be leveraged for providing lasting benefits for communities come from the Lundin Foundation, a non-profit organization supported by the Lundin Group of companies.
Among the achievements that earned the Lundin Foundation the PDAC 2023 Sustainability Award are the 2021 efforts to support 650 small businesses, which generated $42-million in revenues and provided 2,000 well-paying jobs. Support for 79 startups resulted in these businesses launching solutions for climate change and attracted $30-million in third-party funding.
In Ecuador, for example, the foundation developed and delivered a training program for community members with no previous experience at the Fruta del Norte gold mine, resulting in 80 per cent of trainees being employed as skilled plant and mine operators. In communities surrounding the mine, the foundation helped enable a local agricultural co-operative to establish organic farm management practices and achieve organic certification. Now, 180 co-operative producers are exporting products like coffee, cocoa, yuca and plantain to international markets.
Advertising feature produced by Randall Anthony Communications with the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.