TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Two members of the Mining Association of Canada (MAC), Iamgold and Teck Resources, have made the fifth yearly Top 50 Socially Responsible Companies list produced by Maclean's Magazine and market analyst Sustainalytics.

The MAC reported that Sustainalytics had recognised the association's Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) initiative and its work on tailings management as particularly helpful in identifying leaders in the Canadian mining industry.

Canada-based midtier gold producer Iamgold, with mines in Canada, South America and Africa, was recognised for its ongoing work to develop a company-wide biodiversity management programme, as well as for implementing a "substantial environmental programme to manage its tailings, [which] is aligned with the MAC’s Guide to the Management of Tailings Facilities, considered an industry best practice."

Sustainalytics senior analyst Irene Sosa went on to say that Iamgold’s reporting under the MAC’s guidelines indicated to the researchers that the company was proactively and systematically managing the risks associated with its tailings facilities.

"TSM provides valuable and detailed information about an issue that can pose significant operational and reputational risks to mining companies and their shareholders,” she said.

Canada's largest diversified miner Teck, with operations in Canada, the US and South America, was recognised for its strong community engagement practices, particularly with women and vulnerable groups.

The mining company was also acknowledged for its work with international organisations and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) for its Zinc & Health programme that aimed to reduce child mortality and illnesses stemming from zinc deficiency.

"Teck has made community engagement a top priority and this achievement recognises the company's successes in this area. It is also an aspect where Teck shines in our TSM initiative, evidenced by the company's strong performance in the programme's community outreach indicators," MAC president and CEO Pierre Gratton said.

"We're proud to see MAC members on this list year after year. This distinction from Sustainalytics – a global leader in sustainability analysis – showcases the solid reputation the Canadian mining industry has in adopting the highest environmental and social standards," he added.

Companies were evaluated by Sustainalytics on their performance across a broad range of environmental, social and governance indicators and Sustainalytics' research process included a thorough examination of company documents, media sources, online databases, government sources and NGO research, as well as direct communication with key stakeholders.