Standards

Human Rights and Informed Consent

Agnico Eagle has incorporated respect for human rights into our management and governance practices and programs.

Our Board of Directors has made it clear that we will only do business in regions where human rights laws are respected and promoted. As a Canadian company, we maintain our commitment to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms while operating internationally, ensuring that all of our employees and communities are treated with respect and dignity.

Agnico Eagle does not in any way support or facilitate child labour or forced labour practices. This applies to mining operations, exploration and other development activities in which we are directly or indirectly engaged. It also applies to all outsourced or subcontracted activities across the entire supply chain. We do our best to ensure that none of our activities result in direct or indirect support of such practices. We will take action to terminate any such arrangement should we become aware that such practices are being supported by one of our outsourced suppliers.

In 2016, Agnico Eagle formally adopted the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VP), one of a series of standards created to help extractive sector companies balance the obligation to respect human rights while protecting the assets and people at their operations.

Informed consent: Agnico Eagle subscribes to the principle of informed consent when working on private land, including aboriginal land. We seek the consent of the land owner; this consent usually takes the form of a formal agreement acknowledging that Agnico Eagle will conduct work in a certain area and under certain conditions.

Feedback and advice:

Stakeholder Advisory Committee

Getting Feedback

We have established a Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) to provide us with feedback on our corporate social responsibility efforts and to complement, and help us make strategic links to our existing local stakeholder engagement activities. This approach also supports our global efforts to engage with our stakeholders on a regular basis and in a meaningful way. The Committee was established was established in 2011 and meets in Toronto annually each fall.

The SAC provides us with constructive feedback from a diverse group of priority stakeholders. It provides advice on building a focused sustainability strategy and a business case for our investments in sustainability. The SAC also reviews our sustainability initiatives – including our environmental and social policies, programs, operational performance, communications and engagement. Committee members are independent stakeholders with expertise in sustainability, community development, mining, disclosure and governance matters. They provide their input and expertise as individuals rather than as representatives of their organizations.

Progress Against Prior Year’s Recommendations

Stakeholder engagement and materiality: Agnico Eagle is committed to addressing the evolving needs and priorities of our business and key stakeholders – including shareholders, employees, contractors, business partners, communities, governments and others.

POTENTIAL IMPACT ON BUSINESS AND IMPORTANCE TO MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS

Engaged in Our Future: Our core values provide a strong foundation on which to achieve our long-term goals to responsibly grow our gold business, continuously improve our sustainable development performance and deliver on our commitments to Agnico Eagle’s shareholders and stakeholders. In all aspects of our business we aim to: operate a safe and healthy workplace, and treat the environment, our employees and communities with respect.

Our business strategy focuses on delivering stable, reliable performance at our mines while building a successful, promising pipeline of projects and, by providing growth and development opportunities for our people.

Our business strategy is centred on three pillars:

• performance: delivering on high quality growth expectations;
• pipeline: ensuring industry best, high quality project pipeline; and,
• people: employing and developing the best people.

Agnico Eagle is committed to achieving these pillars of our business strategy while maintaining a safe and healthy workplace, with minimum environmental impacts, and within accepting communities.

As a global mining company, we have a unique responsibility to ensure we are addressing the evolving needs and priorities of our business and key stakeholders – including shareholders, employees, contractors, business partners, communities, governments and others. A material issue is defined as an issue:

• that has significant current or potential impact on the Company over the next three to five years;
• that is of significant concern to our key stakeholders; and,
• over which we have a reasonable amount of control.

As our business and the challenges we face continue to evolve, we look forward to working with our stakeholders and industry experts on ways to further improve our sustainable development performance and reporting programs.

In 2018, we will review and update our materiality matrix to reflect the changes that have occurred within the Company and in the communities with which we interact.

Crisis Management and Emergency Preparedness

Due to the remote nature of our operating and exploration sites, Agnico Eagle has developed an emergency response capacity at all of our sites.

Training personnel to respond to all forms of emergencies remains a key element of our health and safety programs. Our mine rescue teams are considered amongst the best in the industry. They regularly participate in industry competitions to further develop their skills and share best practices.

These individuals contribute to safety in the workplace by being prepared to respond in the event of an emergency situation at any of our mine sites. Each of our mining operations has its own Emergency Response Plan and has personnel trained to respond to safety, fire or environmental emergencies. Each site also maintains appropriate response equipment.

Security in Mexico

We routinely audit internal security protocols and review security measures at our Pinos Altos and La India mines in northern Mexico – as well as at our other Mexican properties – with expert consultants on a continuous basis. In July 2016, a security incident occurred at our La India mine in Sonora State Mexico when a group of armed intruders forcibly gained access to the mine facilities and left the site with some gold doré bars. During the incident, a security guard sustained a minor injury. An investigation involving local, state and military authorities was conducted. The Company has also undertaken a complete review of the security procedures and enhancements were implemented.