By Shannon Walker
At its core, ethical mining rests on the assumption that mining companies will implement and abide by clear policies to guarantee the safety and wellbeing of all workers. Provincial, territorial, and national laws and regulations create a complex framework for mines in Canada to operate under. Maintaining compliance and a high standard of ethical behaviour requires being alerted to any wrongdoing or compliance concerns at every site before they can manifest into larger safety issues.
Ethical standards in mining
Through the Safe, Healthy, and Respectful Workplaces Protocol, the Mining Association of Canada works to bridge territorial gaps in regulations and raise the standard for ethical mines across the country. Commitments and Accountability, Safety and Health Management Systems, Psychological Safety and Respectful Behaviour, Training, Behaviour, and Culture, Monitoring and Reporting, and Physical Safety and Health Performance are highlighted as core pillars with a set standard of conditions for mining companies to adhere to.
Even with comprehensive regulations in place, wrongdoing can still easily fly under the radar, especially when multiple employees are involved or covering for each other, or if the issue is condoned or conducted by supervisors or upper management. In these situations, it can be extremely intimidating for any one employee to step forward and speak up about the issue at hand, even if they know it is wrong. When these issues go unreported or are swept under the rug due to insufficient protections of reporters, ethical issues can plague mining sites, leading to unsafe conditions and hostile work environments.
How do whistleblower hotlines help?
As suggested, when it comes time to speak up about a workplace issue, feeling safe and secure in the act of speaking up is paramount. Not every employee will feel comfortable bringing concerns to their manager, especially if that person is implicated in the incident they are reporting. Alternatively, these employees may be encouraged to go to HR; however, this can also be uncomfortable, hard to access, and insecure for employees, causing them to avoid reporting altogether.
Having an anonymous outlet, such as a whistleblower hotline, is the answer for many companies that need an alternative feedback mechanism to regular internal HR checks.
When thinking about making an incident report or effectively “blowing the whistle” on a workplace issue, many people picture a hotline. These phone systems are one of the more traditional reporting systems and are reliable methods for quickly bringing issues forward. However, with more emphasis put on digital platforms in every industry, having an omnichannel system that also utilizes email and web intake forms can make your system more accessible for all employees at all times.
Where possible, secure platforms that maintain anonymity for the reporter are vital elements of whistleblower reporting systems. Having a protocol in place that ensures the right people are notified of an incident report and that it is escalated according to severity will also be crucial for maintaining employee confidence in the system.
Best practices for hotline implementation
When implementing a new process at a mining site or even across multiple sites, top-down training will be essential to ensure everyone is comfortable and aware of how to use the reporting system. Within training, management and supervisors should aim to achieve the following:
- Every employee knows how to use the tool effectively.
- Employees feel comfortable using the tool without fear of retaliation.
- Any privacy concerns around employee anonymity and data collection are addressed.
- Have a system in place to audit employee reports and collect data around usage rates, response times, and common concerns brought forward.
During training, companies should focus on promoting a speak-up culture, which encourages employees to bring forward concerns, either anonymously or to supervisors, no matter how big or small. Promoting a speak-up culture happens over time, and often requires supervisors to lead by example.
One preventative measure you can put in place to ensure people are further encouraged to speak up is an anti-retaliation policy. This policy will effectively outline that no employee can be reprimanded, ostracized, or retaliated against for speaking up against wrongdoing that they witness. In a perfect world, every reporting employee can stay anonymous. However, should anything happen that reveals the identity of an employee, they should not fear their employment or status in the workplace.
Working toward ethical mines nationwide is an ongoing effort. Implementing mechanisms to facilitate on-site and off-site reporting that employees feel safe utilizing is paramount for addressing concerns efficiently. Remember, the importance of comprehensive training when enforcing the use of whistleblower hotlines. Ultimately, the strength of a mining company’s ethical practice hinges on its ability to listen to and act upon the concerns of its workforce, making whistleblowing not just a mechanism for reporting but a foundational element for ethical governance and sustainable success in the mining sector.
Shannon Walker is the founder of WhistleBlower Security Inc. (WBS) and executive VP of Strategy at Case IQ. WBS provides ethics, compliance, and loss prevention hotlines, along with IntegrityCounts, a proprietary case management platform for organizations globally. Walker frequently speaks around the world on whistleblowing, ethics, corporate culture, and diversity.
