B2Gold Releases its Annual Responsible Mining Report - Raising the Bar
News Release
B2Gold Releases its Annual Responsible Mining Report - Raising the Bar
Vancouver, BC, June 13, 2022 - B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO) (NYSE AMERICAN: BTG) (NSX: B2G)
(“B2Gold” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has published its sixth annual Responsible
Mining Report entitled “Raising the Bar ” (the “Report”), which details B2Gold ’s global economic
contributions and its environmental, social, and governance management practices, together with the
Company’s performance against key indicators in 202 1. Full details are outlined in the Report, which
is available to view or download at www.b2gold.com. All dollar figures are in United States dollars
unless otherwise indicated.
In announcing the release of the Report, Clive Johnson, President & CEO of B2Gold , states “in
reflecting on 2021 and its continued challenges, from the ongoing COVID -19 pandemic, to social or
political unrest, to the effects of climate change around the globe, I have asked myself how we as a
company have managed to navigate and adapt while still meeting our targets and goals. It has become
clear to me that the answer always comes back to B2Gold ’s core values of fairness, respect,
transparency and accountability.”
Highlights from 2021 “Raising the Bar” Responsible Mining Report
Economic Contribution
As a responsible gold miner, B2Gold aims to create and distribute economic value among its
stakeholders. B2Gold’s successful business results benefit its shareholders along with the many other
stakeholders in the countries, regions, and communities where it operates. The economic value that the
Company generates is distributed among its many stakeholders through local hiring and procurement,
direct investment in communities, and payments to governments in the form of taxes and royalties. In
2021, B2Gold:
• achieved record annual gold production for the 13th consecutive year;
• generated $1.76 billion in Annual Revenue;
• paid $153 million as Employee Wages and Benefits;
• spent $9.4 million on Community Investment; and
• paid $408 million to Governments (through taxes and royalties).
B2Gold is committed to maximizing local and nationa l economic benefits from our contracting and
purchasing. The Company is aware of the high priority that host communities and governments place
on local procurement. In sourcing the goods and services necessary to run its operations, B2Gold gives
preference to local businesses where possible, provided they meet minimum safety, quality, ethical, and
cost requirements. In 2021, over 65% of goods and services were procured from local and host country
businesses. Several 2021 success stories are outlined in the Report.
People
As a reputable corporate citizen, B2Gold generates local employment and opportunities for people to
develop their careers, train employees to acquire new skills, and open doors to women, under -
represented groups, and previously disadvantaged people.
At the end of 2021, B2Gold employed 4,6891 people across all operations. The Company continues to
maintain high local employment rates by targeting recruitment efforts at regional and national levels ,
with neighbouring communities being given preference for employment opportunities for unskilled
roles. At all B2Gold mines, expatriate employees and advisors are required to transfer skills to identified
national employees and mentor appointed understudies.
Across all B2Gold operations, 97% of the total workforce is comprised of local2 employees (an increase
from 95% in 2020). Where B2Gold operates abroad, 64% of Senior Management is local, a notable
increase from 55% in 2020.
In late 2021, B2Gold implemented a refreshed Policy on Equitable, Diverse and Inclusive (EDI)
Workplaces. As articulated in the policy, the Company is dedicated to equitable treatment of all persons,
irrespective of gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion and sexual orientation, as well as the
reasonable and safe accommodation of people with disabilities. In 2021, B2Gold’s workforce saw an
increase in female representation to 642 (from 575), which is 13.7% of its total workforce (13.4% in
2020), and 24% of B2Gold’s senior positions were occupied by women in 2021 (23% in 2020).
Health and Safety
In 2021, the global pandemic continued to challenge the Company’s ability to keep its people healthy
and safe. B2Gold continued with its robust COVID-19 screening and prevention measures established
in 2020, and has worked hard to ensure the highest rates of vaccination across all B2Gold operations.
As a result of its injury prevention measures, B2Gold is pleased to report that for the sixth consecutive
year it has maintained a zero -fatality workplace and further reduced its Lost Time Injury Frequency
Rate (LTIFR) and Severity Rate.
B2Gold’s consolidated LTIFR and Severity Rate were both reduced from 2020 to 2021, with the LTIFR
decreasing from 0.06 to 0.05 and the Severity Rate from 3.53 to 3.46. B2Gold maintained its Total
Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) at 0.27 , which r emains one of the lowest in the mining
industry and is 54% lower than the group average for ICMM member companies (0.59 in 20203).
Environment
At an operational level, B2Gold is implementing its 2020 to 2022 Environmental Strategic Plan, which
identifies key environmental aspects for improvement and defines specific objectives and targets for its
operations. The Environmental Strategic Plan provides a road map for improved environmental risk
management and performance in line with the overall Company strategy.
B2Gold recognizes that society, including business, must act against climate change and it is
implementing a series of changes within the Company as a key aspect of our Environmental Strategic
Plan. In 2021, B2Gold updated its strategy for managing climate risk and in February 2022 the
Company published its inaugural Climate Strategy Report. This report details the Company ’s
governance and oversight of its strategy, explains its risk management approach, and presents a
preliminary assessment of climate scenarios and prioritized climate risks.
B2Gold supports the objectives set by the Paris Agreement to limit the rise in global temperature to
well below 2°C, and will continue to evaluate its climate risk management initiatives to align with these
objectives. In 2022, B2Gold will further develop climate scenarios and assess its business and financial
1 Employee total includes Gramalote Colombia Limited employees. It also includes supervised contracted labour but does not include
unsupervised contractor employees. The reported numbers include full-time and part-time permanent employees as well as temporary
employees.
2 “Local” is defined as individuals either born in the same country of operation or who have the legal right to reside indefinitely in that
country. In Namibia, as per the Namibian Affirmative Action (Employment) Act, “Local” is defined as “Namibian”, which excludes
expatriates, permanent residents, and those who have domicile.
3 Safety Performance: Benchmarking progress of ICMM company members in 2020, https://www.icmm.com/en-gb/research/health-
safety/benchmarking-2020-safety-data
implications. The Company is studying various initiatives to increase energy efficiency at its operations
and to increase the proportion of its renewable energy sources of its total energy consumption. In 2022,
B2Gold will issue its first greenhouse gas emissions reduction target.
Throughout 2021, B2Gold continued its biodiversity conservation programs at its various sites around
the world. Download the full Report and read more about B2Gold’s monitoring of chimpanzees in Mali,
a study to assess the health status of an indigenous tree species in Namibia, and the coastal management
plan in the Philippines.
Approach to Reporting
B2Gold is committed to the transparency of our sustainability risks, management, and performance. the
Company has reported in alignment with the GRI Standards since 2016, and in 2021 B2Gold added the
SASB Standard as reporting framework to its Responsible Mining Report. While the GRI Standards
help companies communicate their sustainability impacts, the SASB Standard was designed to help
companies communicate how different sustainability issues impact a company’s long-term value.
B2Gold firmly believes that the mining industry has an opportunity to contribute positively to the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and it has reported the Company’s contribution
in this regard since 2018.
COVID-19 Response Statement
The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic created opportunities for the mining industry to demonstrate
its ability to adapt to changing operating circumstances. As a result of B2Gold’s culture of health and
safety and support for the communities where it operates, B2Gold was able to successfully respond to
the challenges posed by COVID -19, contributing to community resilience and sustained positive
economic impacts in the countries where B2Gold operates.
In 2021, various measures such as changes to rotations, COVID-19 site incentives, fatigue management,
mental health support, increased site accommodation, flexible work arrangements, and revised illness
and disability policies successfully supported the Company’s workforce through the turbulent times of
COVID-19. Strong employee relations were sustained at all operations through proactive
communication from management and through employee representative committees and/or COVID-19
committees regarding changing measures, policies, and employee support and benefits. The Employee
Engagement Committee at Masbate won the 2021 regional and national award for the Most Outstanding
Labour Management Cooperation for Industrial Peace. The award recognized labour management
initiatives that remained true to the values of cooperation and partnership despite the challenges brought
about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Armed with additional knowledge and tools to successfully manage the COVID -19 pandemic ’s
impacts, B2Gold will contin ue to work with its host communities and local, regional and national
governments, and the private sector to find new ways to adapt to the “new normal” as the pandemic
enters its third year. At B2Gold, our sustainable business strategy has allowed us to be well positioned
to maintain agility and resilience as the world completes its recovery.
To view or download a copy of the Report, please visit www.b2gold.com/responsible-mining/esg-
reporting-portal/.
About B2Gold Corp.
B2Gold is a low-cost international senior gold producer headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Founded
in 2007, today, B2Gold has three operating gold mines and numerous development and exploration
projects in various countries including Mali, the Philippines, Namibia, Colombia, Finland and
Uzbekistan. This year, B2Gold forecasts gold production to be 990,000 to 1,050,000 ounces.
ON BEHALF OF B2GOLD CORP.
“Clive T. Johnson”
President & Chief Executive Officer
For more information on B2Gold, please visit the Company website at www.b2gold.com or contact:
Randall Chatwin
Senior Vice President, Legal & Corporate Communications
+1 604-681-8371
Cherry DeGeer
Director, Corporate Communications
+1 604-681-8371
The Toronto Stock Exchange and NYSE American LLC neither approve nor disapprove the information
contained in this news release.
Production guidance presented in this news release reflect total production at the mines B2Gold
operates on a 100% project basis. Please see our Annual Information Form dated March 30, 2021 for
a discussion of our ownership interest in the mines B2Gold operates.
This news release includes certain “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements”
(collectively forward -looking statements ”) within the meani ng of applicable Canadian and United
States securities legislation, including: projections; outlook; guidance; forecasts; estimates; and other
statements regarding future or estimated financial and operational performance, gold production and
sales, revenues and cash flows, and capital costs (sustaining and non-sustaining) and operating costs,
and including, without limitation: total consolidated gold production of between 990,000 and 1,050,000
ounces in 2022. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect
to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that
are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as “expect”,
“plan”, “anticipate”, “project”, “target”, “potential”, “schedule”, “forecast”, “budget”,
“estimate”, “intend” or “believe” and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that
events or conditions “will”, “would”, “may”, “could”, “should” or “might” occur. All such forward-
looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such
statements are made.
Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, certain of which
are beyond B2Gold’s control, including risks associated with or related to: the duration and extent of
the COVID-19 pandemic, the effectiveness of preventative measures and contingency plans put in place
by the Company to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including, but not limited to, social distancing,
a non-essential travel ban, business continuity plans, and efforts to mitigate supply chain disruptions;
escalation of travel restrictions on people or products and reductions in the ability of the Company to
transport and refine doré; the volatility of metal prices and B2Gold ’s common shares; changes in tax
laws; the dangers inherent in exploration, development and mining activities; the uncertainty of reserve
and resource estimates; not achieving production, cost or other estimates; actual production,
development plans and costs differing materially from the estimates in B2Gold ’s feasibility and other
studies; the ability to obtain and maintain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required
for mining activities; environmental regulations or hazards and compliance with complex regulations
associated with mining activities; climate change and climate change regulations; the ability to replace
mineral reserves and identify acquisition opportunities; the unknown liabilities of companies acquired
by B2Gold; the ability to successfully integrate new acquisitions; fluctuations in exchange rates; the
availability of financing; financing and debt activities, including potential restrictions imposed on
B2Gold’s operations as a result thereof and the ability to generate sufficient cash flows; operations in
foreign and developing countries and the compliance with foreign laws, including those associated with
operations in Mali, Namibia, the Philippine and Colombia and including risks related to changes in
foreign laws and changing policies related to mining and local ownership requirements or resource
nationalization generally, including in response to the COVID-19 outbreak; remote operations and the
availability of adequate infrastructure; fluctuations in price and availability of energy and other inputs
necessary for mining operations; shortages or cost increases in necessary equipment, supplies and
labour; regulatory, political and country risks, including local instabilit y or acts of terrorism and the
effects thereof; the reliance upon contractors, third parties and joint venture partners; the lack of sole
decision-making authority related to Filminera Resources Corporation, which owns the Masbate
Project; challenges to title or surface rights; the dependence on key personnel and the ability to attract
and retain skilled personnel; the risk of an uninsurable or uninsured loss; adverse climate and weather
conditions; litigation risk; competition with other mining companies; community support for B2Gold’s
operations, including risks related to strikes and the halting of such operations from time to time;
conflicts with small scale miners; failures of information systems or information security threats; the
ability to maintain adequate internal controls over financial reporting as required by law, including
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; compliance with anti-corruption laws, and sanctions or other
similar measures; social media and B2Gold’s reputation; risks affecting Calibre having an impact on
the value of the Company ’s investment in Calibre, and potential dilution of our equity interest in
Calibre; as well as other factors identified and as described in more detail under the heading “Risk
Factors” in B2Gold ’s most recent Annual Information Form, B2Gold ’s current Form 40 -F Annual
Report and B2Gold ’s other filings with Canadian securities regulators and the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which may be viewed at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov,
respectively (the “Websites”). The list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect B2Gold’s forward-
looking statements
B2Gold’s forward -looking statements are based on the applicable assumptions and factors
management considers reasonable as of the date hereof, based on the information available to
management at such time. These assumptions and factors include, but are not limited to, assumptions
and factors related to B2Gold ’s abilit y to carry on current and future operations, including: the
duration and effects of COVID -19 on our operations and workforce; development and exploration
activities; the timing, extent, duration and economic viability of such operations, including any mineral
resources or reserves identified thereby; the accuracy and reliability of estimates, projections,
forecasts, studies and assessments; B2Gold ’s ability to meet or achieve estimates, projections and
forecasts; the availability and cost of inputs; the price and market for outputs, including gold; foreign
exchange rates; taxation levels; the timely receipt of necessary approvals or permits; the ability to meet
current and future obligations; the ability to obtain timely financing on reasonable terms when
required; the current and future social, economic and political conditions; and other assumptions and
factors generally associated with the mining industry.
B2Gold’s forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management and
reflect their current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as
of the date hereof. B2Gold does not assume any obligation to update forward -looking statements if
circumstances or management’s beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required
by applicable law. There can be no assurance that forward -looking statements will prove to be
accurate, and actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed
in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that any
events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what
benefits or liabilities B2Gold will derive therefrom. For the reas ons set forth above, undue reliance
should not be placed on forward-looking statements.