Strong relationships across all stakeholder groups
Due to the size of the Group’s operations and the niche position it has as one of the few royalty companies focused on future facing commodities on the London Stock Exchange, the Board will occasionally engage directly with certain stakeholders on certain issues. Where this is not possible or efficient, stakeholder engagement takes place at the Executive Committee level, led by the Chief Executive Officer.
We aim to optimise the mix of skills, experience, diversity and perspectives necessary for Ecora Resources to achieve its strategic objectives now and in the future.
Patrick Meier
Chairman
INVESTMENT COMMUNITY
Our investor relations team leads the engagement with stakeholders across the investment community including debt providers, and retail and institutional investors. We aim to engage in a transparent and informative manner across multiple communications channels.
How we engage
- Our Annual General Meeting provides all shareholders an opportunity to ask questions of the Board
- Annual Report and website provide detailed information on the Company
- Issue regular trading updates
- Meet with institutional investors on roadshows, at conferences and on an ad hoc basis
- Publish video and other content through social media platforms
- Hold presentations for retail investors via Investor Meet Company platform
- Regularly meet and speak to our lending group
Topics of engagement
- Evolution of the Group’s commodity portfolio
- Timeline of the Group’s development assets
- Capital allocation policy
- Revisions to the Directors’ remuneration policy
- Sustainability performance and disclosure
Outcomes
- Updated capital allocation framework
- Focus on income producing royalty acquisitions
- Review approach to sustainability to increase focus on biodiversity issues
COUNTERPARTIES AND MINE OPERATORS
We maintain close relationships with mine operators and counterparties regarding potential new investments and ongoing monitoring of our existing investments.
How we engage
- Regular meetings between key personnel at Ecora and the mine operator
- Site visits to the mine to view operations and
meet employees - Issue annual data request to monitor sustainability performance
Topics of engagement
- Evidence of environmentally and socially responsible performance and risk management
- Performance of the underlying operations and outlook
- Terms and conditions of the royalty
and streaming agreements
Outcomes
- Site visits have led to stronger relationships between the Group and members of operating companies
EMPLOYEES
Our employees are our biggest resource and we engage with them to ensure that we provide a positive working environment in order to maximise individual productivity and performance.
How we engage
- Designated Non-Executive Director responsible
for workforce engagement meetings - HR function
- Weekly team meetings
- Employee well-being surveys
- Annual Company strategy day
- Regular ‘lunch and learn’ sessions to develop
skills and knowledge
Topics of engagement
- Engagement and alignment with the Group’s purpose and values
- Desire to review benefits package
- Opportunities for personal development
- Workforce remuneration policies, particularly focused on long-term retention
Outcomes
- Implemented salary sacrifice scheme
COMMUNITIES
As a royalty company we don’t operate any of the underlying assets within our portfolio. While this impacts the direct involvement the Group has with the communities impacted by the operations underlying the portfolio, the Board, through the wider team, engages with mine operators seeking to influence and encourage compliance with relevant sustainability standards.
How we engage
- Track operator metrics and disclosures
- Send sustainability questionnaires to operators
- Community engagement is an agenda item when we go on site visits to the mines in our portfolio
Topics of engagement
- Updates on community engagement programmes and initiatives
- Impact on environment and local community
Outcomes
- Donated to the Community Food Sharing Association, in Newfoundland, Canada, in partnership with Vale.
- The Ecora team spent a day with the Children’s Book Project, a charity that seeks to tackle book poverty by distributing over 100,000 books each year across London and the South East.