Microsoft word - wsc-interminerals press release_eng.docx

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 4, 2012
Wild Salmon Center and Zoloto Kamchatky Joint Stock
Company launch a five-year environmental program
in Kamchatka
The Wild Salmon Center (WSC) and Zoloto Kamchatky Joint Stock Company (“Kamchatka Gold” in Russian), the largest gold mining company on Kamchatka and part of the Renova Group of Companies, have launched a five-year environmental program on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East. The objective of the program is to employ best practices and public involvement in the conservation of Kamchatka’s salmon ecosystems. The program seeks to support Kamchatka’s protected areas and expand the environmental and social responsibility of mining companies. Kamchatka, where up to a quarter of all Pacific salmon spawn, is rich in natural resources and is one of the most unique and pristine areas on the planet. However, as a result of illegal fishing, more than an estimated 60,000 tons of salmon is poached every year. In conjunction with its work on Kamchatka, Zoloto Kamchatky has been actively voicing its social and environmental principles and recognizes the importance of working with conservation organizations. Wild Salmon Center and Zoloto Kamchatky have agreed to work together to reduce negative anthropogenic impacts on salmon habitat on the peninsula. The five-year program utilizes the most progressive technologies and environmental management practices to reduce impacts to salmon rivers and minimize environmental risks. An important focus of the program is increasing the transparency of the company’s work, collaborating with local communities, and implementing environmental education initiatives. The program has commenced with a project to support and develop Kamchatka protected areas for which Zoloto Kamchatky has allocated over $160,000 in 2012. The financing also includes: - Holding the first conference in Russia on developing environmental and social responsibility of mining companies in the fall of 2012 in Moscow; - Capacity building through training the staff of Zoloto Kamchatky in international best practices of environmental management in salmon ecosystems. "We appreciate the desire of Zoloto Kamchatky’s leadership to make their business more environmentally conscious and therefore more effective. This is a rare example of constructive collaboration between representatives of the mining industry and environmental organizations," said Wild Salmon Center President Guido Rahr. Maxim Mayorets, Chairman of the Supervisory Board for Zoloto Kamchatky, is confident that the program will contribute in positive ways to helping implement the Renova Group of Companies’ principles of corporate responsibility, such as caring for the environment, building voluntary and sustainable relationships with stakeholders, improving management practices through using international standards, and reducing environmental risks. Wild Salmon Center has been working in the field of salmon conservation in Russia and North America for 20 years. Working within the framework of the program, WSC will use this experience to reduce environmental risks of mining activities on Kamchatka. WSC annually invests more than $250,000 to support environmental initiatives and protected areas on Kamchatka. Contacts: Mariusz Wroblewski, Western Pacific Program Director, Wild Salmon Center: [email protected] Yuri Garashchenko, Representative of JSC “Zoloto Kamchatk”’: [email protected] Wild Salmon Center (WSC) is an international organization whose mission is to
identify, understand and protect the best wild salmon ecosystems of the Pacific Rim.
WSC partners with governments, local communities, and businesses to create a
network of healthy salmon ecosystems across the North Pacific.
www.wildsalmoncenter.org
JSC ‘Zoloto Kamchatky’ (part of Renova Group of companies) is the largest gold
producer in Kamchatka region. Subsidiaries of JSC ‘Zoloto Kamchatky’ operate gold
mines (ZAO ‘Kamgol’), design and construct new projects (ZAO ‘Ametistvoye’ and
Kamchatka Gold), and carry out exploration activities (ZAO ‘Bystrinskaya Mining
Company’) in Kamchatka. www.zolotokamchatki.ru

Source: http://www.wildsalmoncenter.org/pdf/WSC-Interminerals-070412.pdf