DRA Global, Nominee for Established ESG Leader for a Resources Services Company, 2023 Africa Award

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

ASX-listed DRA Global Limited is an international multi-disciplinary engineering, project delivery and operations management group, predominantly focused on the mining, minerals and metals industry.

The company has an extensive track record spanning almost four decades across a wide range of commodities.  It has delivered more than 8,000 projects, studies and managed services solutions, and currently operate more than a dozen sites through its operations and maintenance division.

DRA covers all major mining centres with offices across Africa and the Middle East, North and South America, and Asia-Pacific.

With the mining, minerals and metals industry crucial to a low-carbon and resource-efficient future, DRA helps clients across the globe work towards world-class sustainable mines of the future that minimise their physical and environmental footprint while simultaneously delivering value to all stakeholders, including shareholders, the host nation, local communities and employees.

It became evident to DRA that clients often need help to operationalise sustainability and ESG in their business. Stakeholders require transparency throughout the entire value chain and project lifecycle. While most of DRA’s activities span the start of the value chain (pit-to-port), many ESG-related questions are asked further down the value chain.

These requirements put significant pressure on DRA’s clients, especially mid-tier and junior asset owners. While many have established sustainability and ESG objectives at the corporate level, they need help to link their overall goals to risks and opportunities at the mine and processing plant level.

DRA identified this as an urgent problem to help solve. Finding a repeatable and systematic solution led to development of ESG Readiness tool which was launched in 2023.

INITIATIVE: COMPREHENSIVE AND CUSTOMISED ESG, RISK AND COMPLIANCE (ESG-RC) SOLUTION

ESG-RC is a risk and compliance (RC) governance and standards-based approach to managing and reporting ESG risk and opportunity across the entire mining and processing activities lifecycle, from pre-feasibility to mine closure.

Its phase-by-phase approach, is customised to meet clients wherever they are on their sustainability journey, ensuring alignment and harmonisation with the clients’ corporate sustainability strategy.

DRA GLOBAL’S APPROACH TO ESG, RISK AND COMPLIANCE

• A holistic perspective: Combining deep technical knowledge with a strong ESG and RC focus, DRA delivers comprehensive solutions that address each project’s specific needs and challenges.
• A customised strategy: Services tailored to each client’s unique requirements, ensuring that ESG and RC considerations are integrated into every aspect of the project life cycle.
• Continuous improvement: DRA’s experienced advisors stay up to date with industry best practices, regulatory changes, and emerging ESG trends to ensure clients remain ahead of the curve. DRA also uses technology to streamline, digitise and digitalise critical elements.

EXPERTISE ACROSS THE PROJECT LIFECYCLE

• Pre-feasibility and feasibility: Helping clients identify and assess potential ESG risks and opportunities early in the project development phase, laying a solid foundation for sustainable project design.
• Planning and design: Assisting clients in incorporating ESG principles into the planning and design stage, ensuring that projects are developed with long-term sustainability and responsible practices in mind.
• Construction and operation: Throughout the construction and operational phases, DRA support clients in managing and mitigating ESG risks, monitoring compliance, and fostering a culture of environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
• Decommissioning and closure: Guiding clients in implementing responsible mine closure strategies, emphasising minimising long-term environmental impacts and promoting positive socio-economic legacies.

PHASE-BY-PHASE APPROACH

The comprehensive phase-by-phase process helps clients embed ESG and RC considerations throughout their organisation and enables them to effectively manage and report on their performance at a granular asset (project) level. The approach has six distinct phases.

1. “As Is” ESG RC Contextual Alignment and ESG RC Materiality Assessment
2. ESG RC Maturity Assessment
3. ESG RC Management and Reporting Framework
4. ESG RC Integrated Management and Reporting System
5. ESG Software Solution (if required)
6. ESG Report Drafting and Publishing