Sustainability

 

When it comes to safety issues we do all we can to be an industry innovator and leader, a world-class operator, a corporate citizen and a good employer.
We are working to improve safety and Risk Management, earn trust and grow value. We are enhancing our systems, processes and standards. We must earn everyone's trust by being responsible and fair and by closely  monitoring our performance and reporting in a transparent way.

We are reorganizing to become a simpler business focusing on what we do best. Our values, the core part of “how” to do business, our Code of Conduct, our sustainability strategy and our development targets have been carefully aligned so that our employees can bring them to life every day. 

Dahab Masr is committed to this strategy with the objective of creating a positive work environment, generating jobs, investment and infrastructure and in maximizing our socio-economic contribution. A strong, safe Dahab Masr that operates in a responsible and sustainable manner will be a valuable contributor to growth and progress in the precious metals refining industry while also adding to the reputation and wellbeing of our country and our local community.

For our stakeholders' benefit, we concentrate on the following key elements of sustainability.

 

 

Health and Safety

We work to reduce exposure to occupational risks, including allergic diseases, fatigue or stress and other health issues. Our desire is to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for all our employees and to prevent harm to the health of employees, contractors, visitors and members of the local communities who may live or work near our operating site.

Dahab Masr focuses on safety performance as a core value and strives for superior performance in this and every area. Safety is about efficiencies, rates of return on investment and ensuring sustainability to achieve exceptional commercial outcomes. Most important, safety is about everyone taking personal responsibility.

We strive to identify risks before accidents occur and integrate our safety management system into the way we do business. We apply rigorous standards to all manufacturing processes that have any risk of a serious accident.

Employees

We expect all our personnel to take personal responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of everyone around them. We do this by continuously reinforcing the importance of safe practices. Our leadership is fostering a culture where everyone is focused on safety, on managing and reducing risk and on safe, reliable and compliant operations.  

Customers & Suppliers

We show our customers how a sustainability strategy helps Dahab Masr to provide innovative products and services. We like to work in partnership with customers to develop innovative solutions and mitigate market and regulatory risks.
We aim to encourage our suppliers and customers to adapt to the values of sustainability, which we uphold.

Communities

We engage with key stakeholders in our community. Where possible we minimize the local impact of new development through consultations with local authorities and communities.
As an employer, we have an important contribution to make to the economic development of our local community but also through collaboration and investment, we can add to the local economy. We allocate an annual budget to community investment activities and charities.

 

Enviroment

Responsible operations

Operating our processes with care and respect for the environment is a core value and target for Dahab Masr. We monitor and evaluate the environmental aspects of all our plant activities, products and services to reduce environmental impact.

We are constantly challenged to find and source materials with the lowest sustainability footprint, while offering efficiency and maximizing recyclability.

Energy, chemicals and water

Energy – A diverse mix of fuels and technologies helps to meet the global energy challenge: for the time being gas will continue to play a significant part in meeting our energy demand in the plant.

Chemicals – All the chemicals we use must be managed responsibly and we are constantly challenged to find chemicals with the least environmental footprint. We guarantee careful management of chemicals throughout the entire life cycle, so minimizing any adverse impact on human health and the environment. The chemicals we use at site are all registered immediately and reported to the government which controls usage, consumption and disposal of chemicals

Water – Dahab Masr uses freshwater for steam generation and cooling. All wastewater generated in the plant is treated and cleaned in our Waste Water Treatment Plant before it is returned to the Municipal Sewage Treatment Plant. We are working with specialist companies to further reduce our water consumption and in the application of new technologies to wastewater treatment.

Airborne emissions

At our operating site, we monitor air emissions and ambient air quality. All potential sources of air pollution are equipped with the most up-to-date scrubbing systems. We fully comply with applicable legislation and aim to minimize any potential air emissions.

Noise pollution

All machinery both outside and inside the plant is strictly controlled for noise. Where required silencers are installed and in areas where it is not possible to reach an ideal noise level then ear protectors must be used.

Waste

Across our operations, we have introduced measures to either entirely avoid or reduce the amount of waste that is created and to increase the amount of recycling. It is in our interest to minimize the waste we generate as a business. The introduction of ISO 14001 was one of the measures adopted to improve our performance in this area.

 

 

Social

Our aim is to be recognized for how we do business, support our employees and our local community. 

HR and recruitment

We work to attract, motivate, develop and retain the best people in the market. Our selection processes are rigid but fair. We aim to attract skilled, talented and energetic professionals. A major part of our future success will derive from the energy of our employees. Therefore, we aim to create an inclusive working environment, where everyone is treated fairly, respectfully and with dignity. Everyone has the opportunity to make a difference and to give his or her best. We reward staff not only for what they deliver but for also how their behaviour reflects Dahab Masr's values.

Employee development

We provide career development opportunities for all our employees, including external and on-the-job training plus opportunities such as language courses and in house training. We employ graduate trainees in all areas of our business for up to one year, offering them a chance to find strengths and interests. For young people who are still attending school, we offer the opportunity to make 1 or 2 weeks of summer work in the administrative departments or to make 2 days of job orientation.

Workforce structure and management

Dahab Masr treats all employees equally. We want to attract and choose the best people. We aim to employ those with technical skills to form a solid base for the structural changes we expect to come in the precious metals refining sector over the next few years.

We prefer permanent employment wherever possible but fluctuations in demand for our services do require some utilization of temporary employees. Women make up 20% of our global workforce mainly employed in the administrative departments.

Customer care

Transparency, excellent services and high-quality products are the foundations for a long-lasting business relationship and loyal customers. We can assure our clients that the material sourced by us derives from ethical sources, from suppliers adhering to local and international environmental standards and that are fully compliant with international labour standards and employment legislation.

Relationships with suppliers

It is our aim to source goods and services from local suppliers wherever possible. For any procurement purchase over USD 2’000, we request three quotations.

Interaction with the local community

The socio-economic contribution of Dahab Masr to the local economy is very important. Besides the direct economic impact from employment, our activities also indirectly support a number of local businesses. By supporting and being supported by the local community, we are an integral part of the local economy. Regular combined exercises, held at Dahab Masr, increase the good connections we have enjoyed for many years.

Dahab M contributes directly to several local projects and institutions through sponsorship.

 

Risk Management

Risk Management and mitigation of risk is a central part of Dahab Masr’s business strategy. The identification and assessment of risks associated with social, ethical and environmental matters are managed together with all other business risks and reviewed at regular meetings of the Board of Directors and of the Audit, Risk and Credit Committee.

 

ARC Committee

The ARC Committee in fulfilling its fiduciary responsibility to the Board has oversight responsibility for the following areas: financial reporting, internal controls, legal compliance and audits (financial, client identification - ISO 9001 & 14001 and laboratory).

Compliance & safeguard reputation

A strong compliance policy is necessary in order to take appropriate measures to meet all policies in regard to Conflict Gold, as well as Anti Money Laundering (AML) and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT).

Our corporate, legal and compliance policies combined with our strictly applied and controlled internal and external rules and the careful selection of our clients protect us and our clients from reputational damage.

 

Internal Control

The Executive Board and the Management of Dahab Masr have taken all necessary measures to assure the efficiency of the Internal Control System according to the Egyptian legal regulations.