ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) issues are becoming more and more important globally. The Triple Bottom Line has come into focus since the mid-1990s. and in recognition, many mining companies are reporting to voluntary international standards such as IRMA and Responsible Steel.
While none of the international public reporting codes yet have a compulsory ESG component, the South African Guidelines for Environmental, Social and Governance (SAMESG) guidelines have been in place since 2016.
In order to promote voluntary compliance with the SAMESG Guidelines, the SAMCODES Standards Committee (SSC) is sponsoring an ESG Squirrel to be presented at the annual IASSA Awards ceremony at the JSE. The inaugural presentation of this award is expected to be in June 2021 (for AIRs compiled in 2020). More information will be provided in due time.