Wheaton respects and supports the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and strives to ensure that we are not complicit in human rights abuses. We focus on human rights in our direct operations, as well as at the mining operations of our Mining Partners.
Direct Operations: In 2022, we performed a human rights risk assessment specific to our direct operations. As an office-based organization with locations in Canada and the Cayman Islands, Wheaton’s focus on human rights within our direct operations relates to the rights of our employees, and specifically their rights in relation to labour and employment, freedom of association, discrimination, and health and safety.
Wheaton’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (opens in new tab)
includes provisions outlining our commitment to human rights. The policy is guided by several international statements and principles, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Labour Organization’s Declaration on the Fundamental Principles and Rights of Work, and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Mining Operations: Human Rights risks can vary across mines and development projects. Exposure to human rights risks can be dependent on the physical location of the mine, proximity of neighboring communities and land users, as well as the prevalence of risks in a certain jurisdiction.
As part of our due diligence process and ongoing monitoring of Mining Partners, we work to understand how human rights risks are being managed at the site level. This includes tracking our Mining Partners’ adherence to global and industry standards related to human rights, including the United Nations Guiding Principles, the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, and the World Gold Council’s Conflict-Free Gold Standard, among several industry-related standards. We also review our Mining Partners’ approach to Indigenous Rights and disclose which Mining Operations have agreements in place with Indigenous communities.
Wheaton’s Partner/Supplier Code of Conduct (opens in new tab) sets out the minimum standards of conduct expected from Suppliers wishing to do business with Wheaton, including our expectations of our Mining Partners with regard to respecting human rights, including complying with all laws relating to human rights and labour.