Engaged and Prosperous Communities
From the initial stages of exploration to the eventual reclamation and rehabilitation of a mine site, Eldorado relies on the relationships we have with our stakeholders to work toward socially inclusive and sustainable development.
The communities near our sites experience the most direct social, environmental and economic impacts of our business. By maintaining open and transparent communication, providing competitive wages and benefits, prioritizing local procurement, contributing our fair share of taxes and royalties, and investing in community programs and infrastructure, we work hard to support the development goals of our host communities and governments.
Our teams make concerted efforts to meet with local communities and other stakeholders in ways that reflect local cultures. For example, at Kışladağ and Efemçukuru, our community relations teams frequently visit local coffee and tea houses that act as hubs of public life for community members. The conversations we have with our neighbours in these informal settings allow us to engage with our stakeholders in a way that respects their traditions and builds strong relationships.

Indigenous peoples, including First Nations peoples in Canada, are often impacted by mining. Eldorado has a responsibility to meaningfully consult First Nations communities and provide equitable access to employment, training and educational opportunities. Our Human Rights Policy is informed by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and commits Eldorado to “respecting the collective and customary rights, interests, culture and connection to the land of directly affected Indigenous Peoples, if present in the area of influence. We will work to obtain their free, prior and informed consent before proceeding with development and throughout the life of the project.”
Government authorities are also important stakeholders and essential partners throughout the mining life cycle, as they provide the laws and regulations that create the context for responsible mining. To better understand government objectives and policies, provide information about our projects, discuss relevant issues and advance permitting, Eldorado maintains frequent dialogue with government authorities at the local, regional and national levels.

At each of our operating sites, community of interest committees play an important role in providing independent oversight of our activities. These committees are composed of representative and local stakeholders, including community leaders, youth, Indigenous representatives, government regulators, environmental organizations and technical experts. They meet regularly and visit our sites to observe our practices, learn about how we manage our impacts, and share their perspectives on potential improvement opportunities.
Eldorado’s Lamaque mine in Québec maintains a community of interest committee called the Monitoring Committee, facilitated by an independent third party, to regularly inform and consult local stakeholders and engage the site’s formal Community of Interest in decision-making regarding our activities and projects. In 2022, the Monitoring Committee participated in an interactive workshop regarding Eldorado’s local community investments. Participants had the opportunity to contribute their perspectives on our approach to community investment and, following a presentation by a local non-governmental organization (NGO) on community-specific socio-economic challenges, provide relevant suggestions of opportunities for community development across Eldorado’s community investment categories.
Later in the year, the Monitoring Committee participated in another workshop to explore social closure planning for the Lamaque mine. Although mine life is projected to 2026 based on proven and probable reserves, and 2033 based on inferred resources, participatory social closure planning from the early stages of our mines is part of Eldorado’s commitments to Engaged and Prosperous Communities and Healthy Environments Now and For the Future.
Eldorado’s SIMS includes Closure Planning standards that align with internationally recognized best practice and voluntary frameworks, such as the MAC-TSM Mine Closure Framework and the WGC’s RGMPs, and includes the requirement for sites to engage with Communities of Interest in the development of social closure plans. As such, the Lamaque Monitoring Committee had an early opportunity to discuss the social impacts of mine closure and share their perspectives and expectations regarding opportunities and criteria for successful social closure. This input will inform Lamaque’s vision statement for social closure and participatory work is planned to continue through a sub-committee dedicated to discussing mine impacts and benefits. More information about the Lamaque Monitoring Committee and meeting highlights can be found here.
“I have been involved in the Monitoring Committee for several years. The Monitoring Committee is an essential mechanism for the community because it allows, among other things, to know and understand the possible impacts of a project and to understand the issues. As members of the Committee, we feel that we are listened to and that the suggestions we make to the Eldorado team are meaningfully considered by management. We know that we have a real role to play in helping to continually improve the company’s practices and this is what motivates my involvement in the Committee.”
Sylvie Hébert, Member of the Monitoring Committee, City of Val-d’Or representant

As part of a broader effort to target gender-based community development at the Efemçukuru Gold Mine, and in direct alignment with Eldorado’s commitment to foster diversity and inclusion, the “Productive Women, Strong Futures” project focuses on social and economic empowerment of local women, while generating broad-based community awareness on gender equality and rural development. Economic empowerment of women is a key development objective in the local context, aimed at addressing historical socio-cultural barriers that have resulted in lower levels of education and representation of women in the workforce. It is also a key component toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
In the rural communities surrounding the mine, there is an opportunity for women to generate income and contribute to the sustainable development of their communities through work in sectors beyond their traditionally held roles. We believe that a rights-based strategy focused on gender equality has the potential to yield strong community development outcomes, and that investments in early and ongoing education is a powerful tool for overcoming social barriers, building capacity and unlocking economic opportunities for local women. Further investment in well-designed vocational training is expected to help raise household income, reduce over-representation of women in low-wage and “low-skill” work, and deconstruct occupational segregation between women and men.
The project scope includes self-identified women of all ages living within four host and nearby communities, who will be provided educational, mentorship and entrepreneurship opportunities. In partnership with Türkiye’s Women-Friendly Brands Platform, capacity-building classes and training are offered that focus on developing foundational knowledge and transferable skills in various topics, including gender equality, financial literacy, digital marketing, e-commerce, social media, basic technology and personal data protection law. Vocational training opportunities were delivered by the Public Education Center and included topics such as mushroom cultivation, beekeeping, grapeseed oil production, packaging and soapmaking.
During the first stage of the project, over 150 women were engaged to discuss program details and invite participation. Surveys were conducted during the women-only meetings to collect information and training preferences that were used to determine what vocational training programs could be provided to entrepreneurial candidates. The program is also informed by social baseline studies that provide context related to education levels, business opportunities and demographics, and directly addresses priorities defined in Efemçukuru’s Community Development Plan.
In the implementation stage of the project, in addition to vocational and skills training, candidates had the opportunity to connect with successful business leaders and investors to develop ideas for potential business opportunities. Successful entrepreneurial ventures will be supported by drawing on a network of partner institutions and organizations, including Menderes Public Education Center, Women in Technology Association and KAGİDER (Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey). The success of the program will be monitored and measured using key performance indicators that were developed collaboratively with project stakeholders and partners, who will also participate in evaluating project performance in later stages.
In all regions where we operate, we attach great importance to realizing projects for human capacity development. Supporting the ecosystem of women entrepreneurs and improving girls’ education are an important part of our sustainability goals. We believe that the “Productive Women, Strong Futures” project serves this purpose and will spur women-led business ideas that create significant employment opportunities and economic development locally.
— Onur Demir, Deputy General Manager, Efemçukuru Gold Mine
Community Investment
Our approach to community investment is responsive to local needs, while maintaining the core principles of inclusion and transparency. Engaging with local stakeholders to understand our impacts as well as their goals for the sustainable development of their communities is essential to how we identify and implement community investment projects.
Community investment projects are first assessed and then implemented by our community relations and public relations teams at each of our sites, and oversight and support are provided by management at the regional and corporate levels.
Area of Focus | Related SDG | Our Investments |
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Arts and Culture |
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The culture and diversity of local communities, including the preservation of heritage and the promotion of local traditions and practices |
Economic Development |
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Supporting local business development, skills and capacity building in the local labour force, as well as entrepreneurship opportunities |
Education and Youth |
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Childhood, youth and adult continuing-studies initiatives as well as research and education initiatives relevant to the mining sector |
Environment |
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The protection and preservation of the natural environment around our mines that go well beyond regulatory requirements |
Health and Well-being |
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Improved quality and access to local health care services that can operate independently and sustainably, and supporting recreational projects and sport clubs that promote healthy and active lifestyles |
Infrastructure |
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Physical infrastructure that supports community needs and a post-mine economy |

The culture and diversity of local communities, including the preservation of heritage and the promotion of local traditions and practices




Supporting local business development, skills and capacity building in the local labour force, as well as entrepreneurship opportunities


Childhood, youth and adult continuing-studies initiatives as well as research and education initiatives relevant to the mining sector



The protection and preservation of the natural environment around our mines that go well beyond regulatory requirements

Improved quality and access to local health care services that can operate independently and sustainably, and supporting recreational projects and sport clubs that promote healthy and active lifestyles




Physical infrastructure that supports community needs and a post-mine economy
Local Employment and Procurement
Wherever possible, we prioritize hiring local employees and working with local suppliers. This practice positively impacts local and national economies by providing well-paying jobs and generating government revenues that can be directed towards health care, education and infrastructure.
We believe in recruiting local employees and contractors whenever possible, including for senior roles in which local knowledge and expertise can provide advantages for our business. Where local skills exist, we are committed to providing opportunities for growth and development. In local communities that are less familiar with mining, we work to train employees and provide them with valuable and transferable skills that will have a positive legacy beyond their employment with Eldorado.
In accordance with the relevant laws and regulations, we uphold strong and fair labour practices. We encourage equal opportunities and base our hiring practices on skills and experience as stated in our Diversity Policy. As outlined in our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct and our Human Rights Policy, everyone at Eldorado is expected to maintain a safe and healthy work environment and promote a workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment. We expect our business partners, including security providers, contractors and suppliers to share this commitment to rights.
Complaints and Grievances
We believe that conducting business honestly and respectfully requires open communication between our sites and stakeholders. When grievances are raised, we act and respond with due diligence. Effective grievance mechanisms play an important role in governing and remediating any impacts.
As part of our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, we have a Whistleblower Policy so that any stakeholder, internal or external, can confidentially report any concerns, which are managed by an external whistleblower-reporting agency. Eldorado’s Audit Committee Chair and Corporate Secretary oversee all submissions and investigations.
Our Community Response Standard in SIMS requires all of our sites to receive, manage and respond to community grievances, comments, and requests, in conformance with Level A of the MAC-TSM Indigenous and Community Relations Protocol.