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ESG Report 2023

Our People

Workforce

Our people are our most important stakeholder. Keeping them safe, enabling their growth and development, and operating in alignment with our Values is of critical importance to Alamos. 

 

We support our people throughout every point in their career with us. We take care to welcome and integrate new joiners, and we provide feedback and opportunities for professional development through formal employee development programs and on-the-job training. Career progression is very important at Alamos. It creates a knowledgeable and collaborative workforce that lives our Values. As such, our employees are encouraged to build their skills and take advantage of opportunities across the Company, and we are proud that many of them do. Across Alamos’ three operating mines, 87,666 hours of training were administered across over 700 unique courses. This breadth of material includes general professional development such as leadership workshops, cybersecurity training, as well as role-specific training (such as geological modelling, gasoline engine repair, drone usage, and working at heights). We believe this contributes to our strong culture and fosters an environment where people feel welcome, safe, and valued for the work they perform and their contribution to our success.   

 

Further, all our sites conduct annual performance reviews to support continual development of our employees. These reviews are conducted for all permanent employees in Canada, and for all non-union employees in Mexico. 

 

Working hours are managed by location and employee group. We provide rotational schedules, virtual work and flexible hours – making a balance between time at work and time off more achievable based on the needs of the business and the needs of our employees.   

 

Alongside direct employment, when practical, Alamos employs contractors for a variety of functions at our mines, projects, and offices. These contractors are treated with the same respect and are held to the same standard of excellence and corporate policy commitments as our employees. Some common types of work performed by our contractors include but are not limited to exploration drilling, construction, blasting, mining, surveying, security, transportation, and hospitality services.  

 

Career progression 
is very important at Alamos.

Alamos Workforce 
at Year End1, 2

Table 3.1

Alamos Total Operations:
Young-Davidson 		Operations:
Island Gold 		Operations:
Mulatos 		Reclamation 
& Closure:
El Chanate 		Projects:
Lynn Lake Project 		Projects:
Türkiye Combined Projects 		Offices:
Hermosillo Office 		Offices:
Toronto Head Office
Total Workforce (Contractors and Employees) 3,310 823 1,005 1,326 12 26 7 51 60
Permanent Employees (Full Time) 1862 734 527 466 0 22 7 49 57
Male 1,610 665 447 424 0 15 2 25 32
Female 252 69 80 42 0 7 5 24 25
Temporary Employees3 (Full Time) 19 3 9 0 2 0 0 2 3
Male 10 2 5 0 2 0 0 0 1
Female 9 1 4 0 0 0 0 2 2
Part-Time/Non-Guaranteed Hours Employees 8 0 5 0 0 3 0 0 0
Male 5 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 0
Female 3 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0
Contractors 1,421 86 464 860 10 1 0 0 0

The data in Table 3.1 represents a snapshot of our workforce on December 31st 2023. As such, these figures exclude short-term contracts such as Interns/Co-op students who are valued contributors to our teams. In addition to the above-reported figures, Young-Davidson employed 25 students, Island Gold 13, Lynn Lake four, and our Toronto Headquarters three.  

Annual Workforce Totals

Table 3.2

Alamos Total Operations:
Young-Davidson 		Operations:
Island Gold 		Operations:
Mulatos 		Reclamation 
& Closure:
El Chanate 		Projects:
Lynn Lake Project 		Projects:
Türkiye Combined Projects 		Offices:
Hermosillo Office 		Offices:
Toronto Head Office
2023 3,310 823 1,005 1,326 12 26 7 51 60
2022 3,6994 830 987 1,716 15 305 12 51 58
2021 3,4116 789 867 1,595 14 247 11 53 57
% Change (2022-2023) -10.5% -0.8% +1.8% -22.7% -20.0% -13.3% -41.7% 0.0% +3.5%

As shown in Table 3.2, the largest change in our workforce between 2022 and 2023 was attributable to the Mulatos Mine, due to the planned cessation of mining activities in the main Mulatos pit. Where possible, employees were moved into new roles at the La Yaqui Grande mine to reduce the number of worker departures. 

Employee Turnover8

Table 3.3

Operations:
Young-Davidson 		Operations:
Island Gold 		Operations:
Mulatos 		Closure:
El Chanate 		Projects:
Lynn Lake Project 		Projects:
Türkiye Combined Projects 		Offices:
Hermosillo Office 		Offices:
Toronto Head Office 		Alamos Total:
2023		 Alamos Total:
2022		 Alamos Total:
2021
New Hires 130 118 69 0 2 0 3 9 331 368 327
New Hire Rate 18% 22% 15% 0% 9% 0% 6% 16% 18% 20% 17%
Voluntary Departures 90 54 23 0 5 0 2 6 180 195 Nd
Voluntary Departure Rate 12% 10% 5% 0% 23% 0% 4% 11% 10% 11% Nd
Involuntary Departures 24 11 111 0 0 0 0 2 148 46 Nd
Involuntary Departure Rate 3% 2% 24% 0% 0% 0% 0% 4% 8% 2% Nd
Total Departures 114 65 134 0 5 0 2 8 328 241 377
Total Departure Rate 16% 12% 29% 0% 23% 0% 4% 14% 18% 13% 20%

Health and Safety

MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

 

Alamos Gold is committed to creating and maintaining a safe, healthy working environment at all our mines and development projects, and our overarching commitment is to have all employees and contractors return Home Safe Every Day. Alamos’ Health and Safety Standards set Company-wide parameters for safety governance, and each site has the flexibility to design specific supporting policies, procedures and practices. All employees and contractors working at Alamos locations are required to follow these procedures and practices. The Technical and Sustainability Committee of the Board, supported by our COO and VP Sustainability & External Affairs, monitors Company performance and drives our approach to occupational health and safety (OHS) management. 

 

OHS management systems (OHSMSs) have been implemented and are maintained at all Alamos mines, which legally must cover 100% of our on-site workforce. While guided by ISO 45001, the Mulatos Mine’s OHSMS must also comply with the requirements of Mexico’s Programa de Autogestión en Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo (PASST) regulated by the Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare (Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social) making it subject to external verification. The OHSMS at each of our Canadian mines are reviewed internally, and are also on a trajectory for alignment with ISO 45001. Both Young-Davidson and Island Gold underwent independent gap assessments against ISO 45001 in 2023, and will address high-priority gaps to improve alignment. 

 

Our OHSMSs have been developed by internal health and safety professionals in collaboration with senior mine management and third-party experts. Workers are offered participation in the continual development and evaluation of the OHSMS through formal joint management-worker health and safety committees, which exist at each of our three operating mine sites. These committees meet monthly at Young-Davidson and Mulatos, and ten times annually at Island Gold. They are tasked with carrying out workplace inspections, communicating safety information to workers, and addressing any health and safety-related concerns and suggestions of the workforce.

 

HEALTH & SAFETY SPOTLIGHT

 

By 2023, two of Alamos’ mining operations were offering mining health and wellness programs for employees – and the results have been very positive. At Island Gold and Young-Davidson, a team of physiologists and physiotherapists are now on-site in a dedicated wellness space to offer employees injury treatments and return to work programs, and to conduct physical demand analysis and ergonomic assessments for higher risk tasks. The program first became operational at Island Gold in 2022, and based on its positive results, the program was extended to Young-Davidson. Today, information continues to be gathered to inform employee training – for example, we are adding preventative measures to lesson plans, such as stretches and proper body positioning. 

Workers Covered by an Occupational Health and Safety Management System

Table 3.4

Young-Davidson Island Gold Mulatos
Total Workers Covered 823 (100%) 1,005 (100%) 1,326 (100%)
Workers Covered by an Internally-Audited System 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 1,326 (100%)
Workers Covered by an Externally-Audited System 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 1,326 (100%)

TRAINING

 

All employees and contractors must complete mandatory induction and health and safety training as a condition to entering and working at our sites. In 2023 our Home Safe Every Day safety leadership program was updated to incorporate new materials, videos and practical examples that showcase occupational health and safety (OHS) leadership in mining. The program must be completed by all workers (employees and contractors) at Mulatos, all employees at Young-Davidson, and is being implemented at Island Gold. The objectives of the Home Safe Every Day program include: sharing the status of our safety performance and culture; establishing a broad commitment to our values; teaching behaviours that emanate personal safety leadership; ensuring an understanding of individual accountability and the Internal Responsibility System; sharing general tools for safety; and sharing how safety can be integrated into our work. Further, specific safety leadership training is provided to all frontline staff at the supervisor level and above to reinforce leadership principles.

 

We also administer job-specific safety training to supervisors, heavy equipment operators, and other specialist trades and professions to ensure they are capable and qualified to perform their roles. Training programs can use both internal and external instructors while addressing a combination of safety-related and broader skills development, depending on employee roles – ranging from working at heights to computer skills development.  

Training Hours for Occupational Health and Safety and Emergency Response (HSER)

Table 3.5

Young-Davidson Island Gold Mulatos
Number of employees trained 737 541 466
Hours of HSER training provided 3,188 5,830 13,114
Average hours of HSER training per employee per year9 4.3 10.8 28.1

All Alamos mines and projects provide employee training to assist in preventing and managing occupational illness, and we voluntarily offer a number of non-occupational healthcare services, programs and resources. Island Gold and Mulatos maintain on-site medical centres equipped with nursing staff prepared to address any health concerns raised by employees or contractors, regardless of whether or not issues are occupationally-derived. Further, at Island Gold, flu shots, mental health counselling, an on-site fitness centre, and physiotherapy services are provided. An on-site fitness centre is also provided at Mulatos, and information regarding non-occupational disease prevention (such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer) is regularly relayed to workers through email and on-site posters, with the topic of focus being updated monthly. While the Young-Davidson Mine does not host a full-service healthcare centre (as the workforce resides locally rather than in on-site camps and therefore maintains regular access to external health systems), in 2023 the mine initiated a pilot project to establish an on-site wellness program to support workforce health and improve physical demand analyses. Young-Davidson also circulates informational bulletins regarding non-occupational health topics such as cancer awareness, mental health, and smoking cessation, and a Mental Health First Aid course is taught by the on-site Employee Health Advisor. 

Risk Identification and Response

 

Proactive risk identification is a critical component of our OHS management system. Alamos workers are trained on the routine use of the Five-Point Safety System, which requires that whenever an individual approaches a working situation, they (1) check the entrance to the workplace; (2) determine whether the workplace and all equipment are in good condition; (3) determine whether others are working safely; (4) commit an act of safety; and (5) determine whether others can and will continue to work safely. In Mexico, further training is administered annually to capture the health and safety training requirements of the Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare. In Canada, all Ontario-based employees at the Young-Davidson and Island Gold mines must complete the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development’s Worker Health and Safety Awareness training. This mandatory training reinforces the importance of exercising caution at work, and makes clear workers’ rights to refuse unsafe work and report risks and hazards without reprisal. Through this training and clear communication of the Internal Responsibility System (which sets forth the responsibility of every individual in keeping the workplace safe), our workers are competent in the application of risk assessment and minimization tactics. When new risks are identified, working procedures and relevant management systems are updated accordingly. 

  

A function of the joint management-worker health and safety committee at each site is to conduct routine inspections to identify potential safety risks. Some work-related hazards that have been internally identified as posing high-consequence injury risks at our mines include working at heights; energy isolation; confined space entry; lifting, rigging, and hoisting; driving; the use of explosives; earth/ground movement; hazardous substances; and heavy machinery. Each of these hazards has been assigned its own company-wide Health and Safety Standard, outlining the minimum requirements to safely navigate these hazards and mitigate risk. With respect to occupational health, the main illness identified as potentially affecting our workforce was noise-induced hearing loss.  

HEALTH & SAFETY SPOTLIGHT

 

In 2023, the Mulatos Mine was awarded the prestigious Silver Helmet Award by the Mining Chamber of Mexico (CAMIMEX) for the second year in a row. The award recognizes companies with superior health and safety management systems that continually bolster the vision for and reality of safety in the workplace. Mulatos was recognized in the ‘Open pit with more than 500 employees’ category. 

 

When health and safety incidents occur, they are reported and investigated through a standardised system. Reports are initially made to the supervisor, who conducts a preliminary investigation with involved parties to gather facts and statements regarding the incident. Depending on the consequence and potential severity of the incident, reports are escalated to the specific degree prescribed by our Incident Classification, Investigation & Reporting Standard.  

 

All Alamos operations are equipped with Mine Emergency Response Plans (MERPs) and trained Mine Rescue Teams to address extreme and emergency situations on site. MERPs outline the responsibilities, response procedures and preventive measures that are essential to the effective and timely management of emergency situations, and are a critical component of our health and safety risk management systems. Mine Rescue Teams receive additional training under the MERP to prepare them for site emergencies including first aid, firefighting, and the use of specialised tools. For our underground operations, mine rescue teams receive additional training including the detection of and protection from mine gases, and the use of self-contained breathing apparatuses.

 

Alamos aims to prevent all potential occupational health and safety incidents at our operations, including those linked to the operations, products, and services of other businesses with which we share a relationship when they exist at our sites.

PERFORMANCE

 

We monitor employee and contractor safety performance using a combination of leading and lagging indicators to track long-term performance and reinforce strong safety behaviours and culture. Leading indicators include the number of safety interactions, meetings, near misses and hazards tracked by our safety teams and workforce, and lagging indicators include the number and type of incidents, including injury rates. Each site publishes monthly safety performance reports that outline the number and type of incidents and investigations, and any resultant mitigation efforts and training. Safety performance is reviewed by the Alamos leadership team monthly, and quarterly business reviews are led by our CEO, COO and CFO.  

Company-Wide Safety Performance (Employees and Contractors)10

Table 3.6

2023 2022 2021
Fatalities 0 1 0
Near Misses 155 214 143
First Aid Injuries 84 104 162
Medical Treatment Injuries 22 23 39
Restricted Work Injuries 40 48 48
Lost Time Injuries (LTI)11 3 2 10
Total Recordable Injuries (TRI) 65 74 97
Near-Miss Frequency Rate 3.50 4.59 2.96
Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR)12 0.07 0.06 0.21
Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR)13 1.47 1.55 2.01
Hours Worked 8,859,559 9,551,100 9,648,258

In previous reporting periods, instances of occupational illness (if/when they existed) were included under workplace injury metrics (such as Restricted Work or Lost Time injuries). This year we have made a concerted effort to isolate cases of occupational illness for the purpose of disclosure. None of our three operating mines had cases of occupational illness in 2023. 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Alamos, everyone is welcome. We endeavor to foster an environment where all our employees feel comfortable coming to work. Our focus is inclusion, awareness and learning. As we live our values and act inclusively, we will continue to strengthen and we will see the benefit in our ability to attract, engage and retain talent. 

 

Harassment is not tolerated. We have systems and processes in place for individuals to safely, anonymously report. The anonymous reporting mechanism in place at Alamos is overseen by the Audit Committee of the Board. In 2023, we had zero (0) confirmed incidents related to harassment, and zero (0) incidents of discrimination.  

Composition of our Workforce14

Table 3.7

Alamos Employees
Male 1,625
Female 264
< 30 Years Old 410
30–50 Years Old 1,062
> 50 Years Old 417

Composition of our Executive Leadership Team

Table 3.8

Alamos Employees
Male 12
Female 4
< 30 Years Old 0
30–50 Years Old 8
> 50 Years Old 8

In August 2022, we conducted a survey where all Canadian employees were invited to voluntarily self-identify in gender identity, sexual orientation, Indigeneity, race, ability, language of origin, and primary language. Results are illustrated in Figures 3.1 to 3.7. Alamos is exploring alternative ways to understand our workforce and expand our inclusive practices moving forward. 

Figure 3.1

Gender Identity

655 Responses

Figure 3.2

Sexual Orientation

632 Responses

Figure 3.3

Indigeneity

634 Responses

Figure 3.4

Race

655 Responses

Figure 3.5

First Language15

784 Responses

Figure 3.6

Primary Language16

747 Responses

Figure 3.7

Persons with Disabilities

655 Responses

Our talent attraction approach includes diversity, equity, inclusion, workplace safety, and alignment with our Values and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. We are committed to paying a fair and living wage in all countries where we operate, and systems and processes are in place to understand the market and review our pay position within it. Compensation is determined based on the scope of each role and the qualifications of the candidate – it is not influenced by any protected ground.   

 

Additionally, we provide competitive benefits. A number of policies and programs are in place to support the physical, mental, and financial health and well-being of our people and their families, which include but are not limited to: 

 

  • on-site allied health professionals 
  • preventative and therapeutic physiotherapy  
  • financial planning education 
  • parental leave with financial top-up 

 

All Alamos employees are eligible for parental leave, and each year, a number of employees receive this benefit and return successfully. The values in Table 3.9 below are reported on either an annual or rolling basis depending on the indicator.  

Parental Leave (PL) in the Reporting Period

Table 3.9

Alamos Total Young-Davidson Island Gold Mulatos Lynn Lake Hermosillo Office Toronto Head Office
Entitled to PL 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Started PL in the Year 30 8 4 14 1 1 2
Male 21 5 2 11 1 0 2
Female 9 3 2 3 0 1 0
Returned from PL in the Year 28 8 5 11 1 1 2
Male 23 7 3 10 1 0 2
Female 5 1 2 1 0 1 0
Still on PL at Year-end 8 3 3 2 0 0 0
Male 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
Female 7 3 3 1 0 0 0
PL Return Rate17 93% 100% 83% 92% 100% 100% 100%
PL Retention Rate18 76% 70% 86% 75% n/a n/a n/a

Employee Relations

As is outlined in our Human Rights Policy, which is in part guided by the International Labour Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, Alamos respects and looks to uphold internationally proclaimed human rights for our workforce. With gold being internationally recognised as one of five conflict minerals, we apply specific attention in avoiding complicity with human rights abuses such as child labor and modern slavery (which includes forced and compulsory labor). We have determined through internal and external assessments that none of our operations are at significant risk for incidents related to these offenses, and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms. We expect our suppliers and business partners to share this commitment and implement policies and processes that support respect for human rights. We also clearly outline our commitment and expectations within our business contracts. Alamos supports the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas, and has adopted the WGC’s Conflict-Free Gold Standard to operationalise this commitment. Our independently verified Conflict-Free Gold Report summarises our annual conformance to this standard.  

 

In May 2023, Canada enacted the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act (commonly known as the Modern Slavery Act or the Supply Chains Act) (the “Act”). Under the Act, affected entities including Alamos must report on their efforts to mitigate the use of forced and child labour within their supply chains for the previous financial year. Please see Alamos Gold’s 2023 Report on Modern Slavery which further describes the actions that Alamos has taken to assess and manage the risks of forced labour and child labour in its activities and supply chain. 

 

Alamos management communicates with the workforce early and often regarding operational changes. All our workers are afforded the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining via our Human Rights Policy and applicable labour laws, and as such, we believe there is no risk to our workforce’s right to exercise these freedoms at any Alamos location. In 2023 we ratified a favorable Collective Bargaining Agreement in Mexico, which covers 251 of our employees. No Canadian locations are unionized. There were no disputes between labour and management resulting in strikes, lockouts or other work stoppages in the reporting year.  

 

Collective Bargaining Agreements

Table 3.10

Young-Davidson Island Gold Mulatos
% of Employees Covered 0% 0% 54%

In the event of significant operational changes at the Mulatos mine that may impact staff, the Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates a minimum 30-day notice period. Although we endeavour to communicate with all of our employees in a timely fashion, there is no regulated amount of notice for the rest of our non-unionised employees regarding operational changes. 

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References

  1. Compiled using Headcount
  2. Further information is provided in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion section.
  3. Employees with fixed-term contracts.
  4. 2022 and 2021 workforce numbers for Lynn Lake have been restated. Previously-reported figures included contractors, students and interns hired by the site during each reporting year, rather than just the site's total headcount at year-end.
  5. 2022 and 2021 workforce numbers for Lynn Lake have been restated. Previously-reported figures included contractors, students and interns hired by the site during each reporting year, rather than just the site's total headcount at year-end.
  6. 2022 and 2021 workforce numbers for Lynn Lake have been restated. Previously-reported figures included contractors, students and interns hired by the site during each reporting year, rather than just the site's total headcount at year-end.
  7. 2022 and 2021 workforce numbers for Lynn Lake have been restated. Previously-reported figures included contractors, students and interns hired by the site during each reporting year, rather than just the site's total headcount at year-end.
  8. Based on only permanent employees.
  9. Last year, this table represented all training provided on site, resulting in much higher hours and averages. This year, these figures are HSER training-specific.
  10. For a breakdown of Safety performance by site, please visit our Data Tables.
  11. Lost Time Injuries total does not include Fatalities, reported separately in table.
  12. Per the recommendations of ICMM, Frequency Rates are calculated based on 200,000 hours worked and include lost time injuries and fatalities.
  13. Per the recommendations of ICMM, Frequency Rates are calculated based on 200,000 hours worked and include lost time injuries and fatalities.
  14. For a site-by-site breakdown of workforce Composition, please visit our Data Tables.
  15. Respondents were asked what language they first learned at home as a child and still understand today.
  16. Respondents were asked what language they speak at home most often.
  17. The percentage of employees who returned to work after taking parental leave.
  18. The percentage of employees who stayed for 12 months after returning from parental leave.