We contribute to the prosperity of the communities, regions and countries where we operate by creating employment opportunities, supporting local businesses through procurement of goods and services, community investment and payments to governments. We focus on facilitating long-term economic opportunities coupled with strategic community investments to encourage lasting positive benefits.

Examples of our work:

Teck employs approximately 10,000 people worldwide, with many of those jobs located in remote or rural areas with limited economic opportunities. In 2019, we paid $1.7 billion in wages and benefits. We also focus on local procurement and spending to generate regional benefits, with over 25% of all our procurement spend with locally-based suppliers.

In 1989, Teck achieved an innovative operating agreement with the Indigenous Iñupiat people in Northwest Alaska to develop the Red Dog Mine and create jobs and economic opportunities. Over $6 billion in local benefits – including wages and royalties – have been generated since mining began, and Red Dog directly creates about 650 high-paying local jobs in a remote area of Alaska with few economic opportunities.

As part of our Zinc & Health program, Teck is supporting improved nutrition and more sustainable agriculture through increased use of zinc supplements and zinc fertilizer for crops. Zinc is an essential micronutrient for human health and crucial for normal growth and brain development. Each year, nearly 450,000 children die as a result of not having enough zinc in their diets. Millions more suffer from complications associated with zinc deficiency, including stunted growth and a weakened immune system that leaves them unable to fight illness.

Examples of our work:

In January 2019, Teck announced a partnership with the World Food Programme to improve the health and economic opportunities of small-scale farmers in China’s Gansu Province. The program seeks to reduce zinc deficiency and improve the quality of farmers’ potato crops by providing zinc-enriched fertilizer, training and support in innovative agricultural practices.

For the pilot program, WFP will work with the Chinese government to reach 10,000 farmers over a three-year period to improve their crops and economic opportunities as well as the nutrition of about 30,000 people expected to purchase potatoes in local markets. Gansu Province was chosen for the project because nearly 80 percent of its arable land is deficient in zinc.

Teck is a founding member of the Zinc Alliance for Child Health, a $25 million initiative that is scaling up access to life-saving zinc treatments, improving local supply chains and training health care workers to strengthen health systems in sub-Saharan Africa and India. To date, more than 56 million children have received life-saving zinc treatments as a result of ZACH, and 61,000 community health workers have been trained to strengthen health care systems in these countries.

Teck is a founding partner of a network of Canadian women who have committed $6 million to advance UNICEF’s maternal and child health interventions and reduce preventable deaths. The Government of Canada has matched every dollar, making it a $12 million movement for maternal and child health. As a result of 25th Team funding, UNICEF helps ensure improved nutrition, birth registration and stronger health systems for 3.8 million mothers and children.

Health and safety is a core value at Teck and we ensure that all employees and contractors have the knowledge and ability to safely perform their duties. We identify and manage occupational health and hygiene exposures for the protection of longer-term health.

Teck is also supporting improved health and well-being at the global level through our Zinc & Health and Copper & Health programs. Through Zinc & Health we are working in partnership with international organizations to end preventable deaths of children under the age of five by ensuring that life-saving zinc treatments reach the children who need it most. Through Copper & Health we are working with national organizations to reduce the incidence of healthcare-acquired infections and stop the spread of infections via contaminated surfaces through the use of antimicrobial copper.

SDG 3 and our Sustainability Strategy

While we have contributed to each of the SDGs, our current Sustainability Strategy also aligns strongly with several SDGs. These are closely linked with our core competencies as a sustainability leader in the mining industry.

Specific alignments between our Sustainability Strategy goals and SDG 3 are:

Examples of our work:

CSL is a values-based approach that challenges existing values, beliefs and attitudes toward safety, and builds commitment from individuals to work safely and foster safe practices at our operations. CSL was introduced in 2009 and today, more than 17,500 employees and contractors across Teck’s operations have participated in the intensive program to instill a culture of safety. Learn more about Courageous Safety Leadership

Teck’s comprehensive program aims to bring health and wellness initiatives together with resources across the company to ensure that everyone goes home safe and healthy every day.

Through Teck’s Copper and Health Program, Teck has partnered with local hospitals throughout BC and Chile to support installation of copper-infused surfaces and equipment in emergency rooms, ICUs, medical & surgical centres and other high-infection risk areas to make hospitals safer for patients, employees and visitors.  Each investment includes a full review and assessment of the project to further research on the impact and benefits of copper in reducing Healthcare-Associated Infections.

Teck’s program is working to reduce zinc deficiency and save the lives of children around the world. As a result of our Zinc Alliance for Child Health partnership with the Government of Canada, UNICEF and the Micronutrient Initiative, more than 22 million children have received life-saving zinc treatments.

Teck is a founding partner of a network of Canadian women who have committed $6 million to advance UNICEF’s maternal and child health interventions and reduce preventable deaths. The Government of Canada has matched every dollar, making it a $12 million movement for maternal and child health. As a result of 25th Team funding, UNICEF will help ensure improved nutrition, birth registration and stronger health systems for 3.8 million mothers and children by 2020.

Teck supports a range of programs to increase access to educational opportunities in the communities and regions where we operate. We also provide leadership, training, skills development and mentoring for our employees to keep them engaged, now and in the future.

SDG 4 and our Sustainability Strategy

While we have contributed to each of the SDGs, our current Sustainability Strategy also aligns strongly with several SDGs. These are closely linked with our core competencies as a sustainability leader in the mining industry.

Specific alignments between our Sustainability Strategy goals and SDG 4 are:

Examples of our work:

Teck has established and contributes to numerous bursaries, scholarships and endowments to ensure greater access to education, including the Teck Resources Limited Bursary (British Columbia Institute of Technology), Undergraduate Student in Mining Scholarship (Canadian Mineral industry Education Foundation), Teck Alaska Scholarship (University of Alaska Fairbanks), Chair in Mineral Processing Systems (University of Alberta), NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering (University of British Columbia), Teck Chair in Exploration Geophysics (University of Toronto), and the Teck Canadian Aboriginal Bursary.

We support training of skilled tradespeople through our support for programs like the College of the Rockies (COTR) Mining Apprenticeship Program. Depending on the trade, the prospective apprentices enter a three- to four-year program, and take six to 10 weeks of classes at the COTR, with the remainder of the year spent at our steelmaking coal mines in the Elk Valley for on-the-job training.

We believe that diversity in our company and across industries is important. We have implemented programs to increase diversity within Teck, and support training and education opportunities focused on women in the areas where we operate. We know that a broad range backgrounds and perspectives builds stronger, more resilient companies. Since 2015, the number of women in technical or operational roles at Teck has increased by 63%.

SDG 5 and our Sustainability Strategy

While we have contributed to each of the SDGs, our current Sustainability Strategy also aligns strongly with several SDGs. These are closely linked with our core competencies as a sustainability leader in the mining industry.

Specific alignments between our Sustainability Strategy goals and SDG 5 are:

Examples of our work:

We are committed to removing barriers and fostering the recruitment, retainment and promotion of women at Teck. In 2016, we developed and released an Inclusion and Diversity Policy, endorsed by our Board of Directors and senior management team, and aligned with our values and existing corporate charters and policies.

Teck is part of Women in Mining Canada’s work to develop a national action plan to increase the participation of women in mining.

Teck has partnered with UN Women, the United Nations organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, to establish a new training centre—Centro Originarias—to empower Indigenous women in northern Chile. Teck made a $1 million investment in the partnership over the course of the two-year agreement.

A first of its kind in South America, the Centro Originarias provides Indigenous women with tools and training to develop skills, build networks and improve their well-being through economic opportunity. To date, more than 180 women from communities throughout the region have received training, and 25 Indigenous women have been trained as economic development facilitators.

Teck supports the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE), a non-profit society whose mission is to educate, energize and empower female entrepreneurs. Women entrepreneurs who have participated in FWE programming have seen an average annualized revenue growth of over 40% in their business and 90% of all participating companies are still in business – well above the national average of 50% after 5 years.

The Zinc Alliance for Child Health (ZACH), a partnership between Teck, the Government of Canada, the Micronutrient Initiative and UNICEF, has supported the recruitment, development, training and retention of health workers in sub-Saharan Africa, the majority of them female. As a result of ZACH’s ongoing advocacy, many of these women are now paid a government salary and are no longer volunteers.

We work to be a leader in water stewardship by moving beyond compliance towards collaborative water management practices that focus on sustaining and restoring water resources. Our approach to water management is based on three key elements: maintaining water quality, collaborating with our communities of interest to ensure the fair allocation of water and using water efficiently.

SDG 6 and our Sustainability Strategy

While we have contributed to each of the SDGs, our current Sustainability Strategy also aligns strongly with several SDGs. These are closely linked with our core competencies as a sustainability leader in the mining industry.

Specific alignments between our Sustainability Strategy goals and SDG 6 are:

Examples of our work:

We are committed to the safe and environmentally responsible development, operation and management of tailings storage facilities. We maintain site-specific Tailings Management Systems that conform to or exceed industry standards of practice, that demonstrate responsibility and leadership through the commitment and actions of our employees, and that are developed through consultation with communities of interest.

Access to clean and sufficient water by users in our areas of influence is important to us and to our communities of interest. Two of our operations in South America are located in regions where water is scarce, and it has been particularly important for us to consider our neighbours’ water needs at these locations. We are implementing various strategies to manage our impacts on local water availability at our Carmen de Andacollo Operation, and at Quebrada Blanca Operations and the associated Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 project.

We continuously work on optimizing our water use and minimizing our impact. In 2013, we developed site-specific water balances at each of our operations and reported on our company-wide water balance for the first time. Our water balances consist of data on the volume of water input, use, reuse, recycling and outputs at each operation. In 2020 we announced a commitment to design all development projects in water-scarce regions with a seawater or low-quality water source.

We have worked collaboratively with First Nations, local communities, non-governmental environmental organizations, various regulatory bodies and a multi-party technical advisory committee to develop an Elk Valley Water Quality Plan for our five steelmaking coal operations in British Columbia, Canada. The aim of the plan, which was approved in by the Government of British Columbia in November 2014, is to address the impact of selenium and other substances released by mining activities, with the goal of maintaining the health of the watershed and ensuring continued sustainable mining in the region.

Our commitment to water stewardship is embodied in our Health, Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC) Management Standards and our sustainability strategy. Our Water, Ecosystems and Biodiversity management standard defines our company-wide approach to managing water, including engaging with communities, training employees, developing and implementing water management plans and collaborating with local and global organizations.

Teck is taking action to reduce GHG emissions, improve our energy efficiency and implement low carbon technologies. Since 2011, we have reduced GHGs by over 217,000 tonnes annually at our operations, and implemented over 30 megawatts of alternative power, including wind and solar energy.

SDG 7 and our Sustainability Strategy

While we have contributed to each of the SDGs, our current Sustainability Strategy also aligns strongly with several SDGs. These are closely linked with our core competencies as a sustainability leader in the mining industry.

Specific alignments between our Sustainability Strategy goals and SDG 7 are:

Examples of our work:

In 2020 we entered into two long-term power purchase agreements with AES Gener, a producer and distributor of electricity in Chile:

In 2020 we announced a long-term power purchase agreement to provide 100% renewable power for our Carmen de Andacollo Operation. Under the agreement, Carmen se Andacollo will source 72 Megawatts (MW) (550 GWh/year) of wind, solar and hydroelectric energy. The transition to renewable power will replace previous fossil fuel power sources and eliminate approximately 200,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, the equivalent to removing over 40,000 passenger vehicles from the road.

Our Quebrada Blanca Operations first became partially powered by renewable energy in 2013, with 30% of the site’s energy sourced through this agreement. This was the first agreement of its kind for the mining sector in Chile. In 2020, we restructured part of this agreement to increase the project’s use of renewable energy. Once in effect, renewable energy will supply approximately half the power required for operation of Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 (QB2), avoiding approximately 800,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. That is equivalent to the emissions of about 170,000 combustion engine passenger vehicles – equal to permanently parking more than half of all the cars in the City of Vancouver or all the cars in the Tarapacá Region of Chile where QB2 is located.

Teck partnered in construction of the Wintering Hills Wind Power Facility, a 50-megawatt wind power facility in Alberta, Canada.

We are implementing measures to make our haul trucks more efficient, reducing diesel use and GHG emissions. We have reduced the amount of time that a haul truck waited to be loaded by one minute, thereby saving 40,000 truck hours and 450,000 litres of diesel, which also reduced CO2 emissions by 1,200 tonnes.

Teck partnered in the construction of SunMine solar project, located on Teck’s former Sullivan Mine site. SunMine is Western Canada’s largest solar power facility and the first solar project built on a reclaimed mine site. Teck provided use of the land and site infrastructure as well as a $2 million contribution towards SunMine, which uses 4,032 solar-cell modules mounted on 96 solar trackers that follow sun movement to maximize solar exposure. In 2020, Teck purchased the SunMine from the City of Kimberley.

Teck’s Quebrada Blanca Operations in Chile have partnered with the Ministerial Secretariats of Education and energy to develop a renewable energy education program for local schools. After completing the program, students will be able to utilize knowledge about solar and wind power by working at local energy companies.

The generation of high-quality employment and creation of local economic opportunities are among the most important benefits Teck provides to the communities where we operate. In 2016, we distributed approximately $8.6 billion in economic value as defined by the Global Reporting Initiative.

SDG 8 and our Sustainability Strategy

While we have contributed to each of the SDGs, our current Sustainability Strategy also aligns strongly with several SDGs. These are closely linked with our core competencies as a sustainability leader in the mining industry.

Specific alignments between our Sustainability Strategy goals and SDG 8 are:

Examples of our work:

Teck employs approximately 10,000 people and our operations and sites create high-quality employment opportunities. These jobs create benefits in the form of salaries and local spending and also by providing valuable skills and experience. Many of our operations are also located in remote regions, where access to jobs, skills development and economic opportunities are otherwise limited. For example, our Red Dog Operations in northwest Alaska is the largest private sector employer for the region, and the primary source of revenues to local government.

Gaining employment at our operations can create important and lasting benefits for individuals. These include competitive compensation, training, experience and long-term career development and, by extension, long-term financial security for the families of our employees.

In 2020 we announced our updated sustainability goals, one of which is a commitment to increase local employment and procurement, with a particular focus on the contributions of Indigenous Peoples. In 2019 we spent $225 million on indigenous businesses through our procurement activities. In total, 39% of our procurement was spent on local suppliers.

Teck's approach to leadership development is primarily focused on three programs: Leading for the Future, Leading for Excellence and Emerging Leaders. These programs and the development of our leaders are critical to the future success of our company, as many of our current leaders will retire soon. Moreover, we rely on our leaders to develop the people we need to deal with current and future business challenges.

In 2019, we had 75 active agreements with Indigenous communities in Australia, Canada, Chile, and the United States, which include a wide array of our activities from early stages of exploration through to closure. These agreements range from Memoranda of Understanding to full Impact Benefit Agreements to comprehensive Development and Operating Agreements.

Teck has partnered with the Elk Valley communities of Elkford, Fernie and Sparwood, as well as with local First Nations, through the Elk Valley Economic Initiative (EVEI). Teck operates five steelmaking coal mines that employ approximately 4,000 people in this region, and we have a vested interest in ensuring the Elk Valley has a healthy economy. The EVEI is working to promote and advance regional economic development initiatives, including addressing infrastructure gaps, workforce developing and training, and business diversification.

Teck is a global supplier of materials – steelmaking coal, zinc and copper – that are an essential part of building resilient infrastructure.  We also work with communities in the areas where we operate to support sustainable growth and development of local infrastructure and other community initiatives. We support innovation through our investments in research & development in areas including metal refining, water treatment and clean power generation and storage

Examples of our work:

Teck supplies the building blocks needed for developing infrastructure and improving the quality of life for people around the world:

• Steel, and the steelmaking coal used to make it, is required for the infrastructure for our modern society, including clean energy projects like wind or solar power facilities, and transportation alternatives like rapid transit, buses and electric vehicles.
• Zinc which is used to galvanize steel to protect it against corrosion and extend the lifespan of critical infrastructure. Zinc is also an essential micronutrient for health.
• Copper is necessary for the infrastructure required for clean power and is an essential part of the transition to a low-carbon economy.

At Teck, we work to empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.  Teck supports and promotes a work environment at our offices and operations around the world within which individuals are treated with respect, provided with equality of opportunity based on merit and kept free of all forms of discrimination as outlined in our Inclusion and Diversity Policy, Code of Ethics and Code of Sustainable Conduct  Our activities and operations also generate high-quality employment and create local economic opportunities in communities where we operate, many of which are located in remote and rural regions.

SDG 10 and our Sustainability Strategy

While we have contributed to each of the SDGs, our current Sustainability Strategy also aligns strongly with several SDGs. These are closely linked with our core competencies as a sustainability leader in the mining industry.

Specific alignments between our Sustainability Strategy goals and SDG 10 are:

Examples of our work

Teck operations and sites create high-quality employment opportunities. These jobs create benefits in the form of salaries and local spending and also by providing valuable skills and experience. Many of our operations are also located in remote regions, where access to jobs, skills development and economic opportunities are otherwise limited. For example, our Red Dog Operations in northwest Alaska is the largest private sector employer for the region, and the primary source of revenues to local government.

The success of Teck’s Red Dog Operations, one of the northernmost mines in North America, is the result of a unique and innovative operating agreement between a mining company and Indigenous Peoples.

Signed in 1982, this agreement between Teck and the landowner NANA, a Regional Alaska Native Corporation owned by the Iñupiat people of northwest Alaska, has governed the activities at Red Dog. The agreement ensures that operations are environmentally sustainable, that they bring economic and social benefits to the region, and that they support the Iñupiat way of life, including protecting and maintaining access to subsistence activities such as caribou hunting. In 2019, 57% of Red Dog’s workforce were NANA shareholders

We support the resiliency and sustainability of communities by investing in locally-identified priorities for economic and social development. In addition, we work to responsibly close mining operations by developing viable, long-term and appropriately diverse post-closure land uses and supporting communities, including former employees, in their “post-mine” transition. In the area of safety, we take an industry best-practice approach on priorities such as environmental responsibility and tailings management.

SDG 11 and our Sustainability Strategy

While we have contributed to each of the SDGs, our current Sustainability Strategy also aligns strongly with several SDGs. These are closely linked with our core competencies as a sustainability leader in the mining industry.

Specific alignments between our Sustainability Strategy goals and SDG 11 are:

Examples of our work:

Responsibly closing our sites and managing our legacy properties plays an important role in protecting biodiversity and the lands where mining once took place. Closure plans are developed in consultation with communities and designed to mitigate environmental and social impacts, such as economic losses, resulting from closures. Our goal is to leave communities better off as a result of mining having occurred.

Kimberley, British Columbia was once home to the world’s largest lead-zinc-silver mine, operated by Teck. When the mine closed in 2001, there was concern around the loss of jobs and economic activity. With Teck’s support, the community recognized that the surrounding landscape and existing recreational amenities provided the opportunity to develop a tourism economy. Today, Kimberley is a world-class example of how a community can thrive beyond mine closure. As a four-season tourism destination and home to several golf courses, a conference centre and walking and biking trails, it attracts both tourists and a variety of new business opportunities. 

Trojan Pond at our Highland Valley Copper Operations is a reclamation success story. Today, the pond and surrounding area is primarily used for wildlife habitat and recreational fishing; but between 1981 and 1988 it was a tailings pond, created to store the pulverized rock that remains after the mining process. The healthy aquatic ecosystem is now home to a variety of wildlife, including bald eagles, bears, deer and rainbow trout, and to a fly fishing derby for local residents every summer.

We believe that strong environmental management is vital for present and future generations. Within our (HSEC) Management System, our HSEC Management Standards and our environmental audit program help drive continual improvement and assessment of compliance with environmental regulations. Across all of our operations, our focus is on comprehensive environmental management that facilitates effective environmental stewardship.

In 2020, we updated our strategy to reflect changing global expectations and position Teck for the future. Our new sustainability strategy has eight strategic themes: health and safety, climate change, responsible production, our people, tailings management, water, biodiversity and reclamation, and communities and Indigenous Peoples. Moving forward, we are focused on achieving our sustainability goals while managing emerging risks and embracing opportunities that increase our competitiveness and contribute to sustainable development.

SDG 12 and our Sustainability Strategy

While we have contributed to each of the SDGs, our current Sustainability Strategy also aligns strongly with several SDGs. These are closely linked with our core competencies as a sustainability leader in the mining industry.

Specific alignments between our Sustainability Strategy goals and SDG 12 are:

Examples of our work:

Teck has a comprehensive Sustainability Strategy and publishes an annual Sustainability Report. The strategy establishes short- and long-term improvement goals in key areas, while our report covers our sustainability performance and issues, as well as our approach to managing them. 

We are committed to managing the potential impacts of our products while maximizing their value. We use our technology and expertise to support and advocate for the responsible use, reuse, recycling, recovery and disposal of materials. Managing the impacts of our products requires a thorough understanding of the properties of our products and our supply chain, which allows us to more effectively minimize impacts, engage with our communities of interest and gain market access.

We are focused on recycling at our operations and sites. In 2020, we recycled 33,517 tonnes of hazardous and non-hazardous waste. We also have focused on reducing our use of consumables in part to further reduce associated waste.

Our Trail Operations, one of the world’s largest fully integrated zinc and lead smelting and refining complexes, takes in and recycles several urban ore feeds (lead batteries, alkaline batteries, cathode ray tube glass, zinc ferrites), which represent about 20% new feed to lead circuit at the facility.

We employ life cycle thinking to understand the potential risks and impacts of our products, beginning with the extraction of raw material from the earth, through to processing, transportation and customer use. An example of how life cycle thinking is influencing our actions and decisions is the Deleterious Elements Require Thought (DERT) project of our Exploration department. The DERT program helps flag, in the exploration phase, above-normal levels of deleterious elements that may impact the value of the products from the ore body or create environmental or processing issues. This program helps ensure that information on deleterious elements is incorporated into project assessments.

We are taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by improving energy efficiency, implementing low carbon technologies and advocating for carbon pricing. Furthermore, we advocate with governments for equitable and effective carbon pricing policies to reduce emissions that extend across jurisdictions and sectors.

SDG 13 and our Sustainability Strategy

While we have contributed to each of the SDGs, our current Sustainability Strategy also aligns strongly with several SDGs. These are closely linked with our core competencies as a sustainability leader in the mining industry.

Specific alignments between our Sustainability Strategy goals and SDG 13 are:

Examples of our work:

Teck has partnered with organizations worldwide to work together on the challenge of climate change. Teck is a signatory to the Paris Pledge for Action in support of reducing emissions and achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

We are reducing GHG emissions from our activities. Since 2011, we have implemented projects and initiatives that have reduced our emissions by approximately 297,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions as of the end of 2019. We are also improving energy efficiency.

In 2020 we announced a long-term power purchase agreement to provide 100% renewable power for our Carmen de Andacollo Operation. Under the agreement, Carmen se Andacollo will source 72 Megawatts (MW) (550 GWh/year) of wind, solar and hydroelectric energy. The transition to renewable power will replace previous fossil fuel power sources and eliminate approximately 200,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, the equivalent to removing over 40,000 passenger vehicles from the road.

Also in 2020 we secured 118 megawatts (MW) of renewable power supply for our Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 (QB2) project in place of previous fossil fuel power. This will avoid approximately 800,000 tonnes of GHG emissions annually. That is equivalent to the emissions of about 170,000 combustion engine passenger vehicles – equal to permanently parking more than half of all the cars in the city of Vancouver or all the cars in the Tarapacá Region of Chile, where QB2 is located.

We are improving energy efficiency. Since 2011, our efforts have resulted in reduction projects totaling 2,469 terajoules (TJ), achieving our 2020 goal of implementing reduction projects that reduce energy consumption by 2,500 TJ.

We recognize the important role we play in the shift to a low-carbon economy and have established a strategy with short-and long-term goals for reducing emissions, with the ultimate goal of being carbon neutral by 2050. We are implementing energy and GHG reduction projects and sharing best practices in energy management among our operations to achieve our goals and contribute to global efforts to reduce emissions. We have also set goals that drive investment in alternative energy generation, including investments that ultimately contribute to the transition to a lower carbon energy future.

We are investing in alternative power. We set a 2015 goal of 30 megawatts (MW) of alternative energy generation, and set a 2030 goal to expand that portfolio to 100 MW. To meet our targets, we continue to explore opportunities for the procurement of alternative energy sources.

As part of our ongoing efforts to reduce C02 emissions and fuel costs, Teck has begun piloting electric buses at our Elk Valley mines.  As part of our commitment to reducing our emissions and leveraging innovation and technology, Teck introduced two eLion C Series electric buses for crew transport in 2019, in a 12-month pilot project. This represents the first use of electric crew buses in the Canadian mining industry.

Teck recognizes the critical importance of protecting our marine environment and has partnered with various institutions and communities to support initiatives to improve research and conservation connected with ocean and marine resources.

SDG 14 and our Sustainability Strategy

While we have contributed to each of the SDGs, our current Sustainability Strategy also aligns strongly with several SDGs. These are closely linked with our core competencies as a sustainability leader in the mining industry.

Specific alignments between our Sustainability Strategy goals and SDG 14 are:

Examples of our work:

One of the strongest examples of our work with communities and Indigenous peoples near marine environments is our Red Dog mine in Alaska. Teck and NANA Regional Corporation have established a Subsistence Committee to minimize and manage potential impacts on hunting and gathering. We work cooperatively to ensure employment and economic opportunity for the local Iñupiat people, while protecting the coastal and marine environment and their traditional lifestyle.

In 2012, Teck committed $12.5 million to the Vancouver Aquarium in support of its conservation, research and education efforts to advance water stewardship. The funding helps provide educational programming and research focused on conservation issues principally related to water and aquatic habits.

Teck was a lead corporate donor for the development and completion of the UBC Earth Sciences Building, which opened in 2012 and is now a centre for education and research, including being home to the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences.

At Teck, we support responsible marine shipping. A significant amount of our steelmaking coal is shipped through Neptune Terminals, a facility in which we have a 46% ownership interest. In 2012, Neptune Terminals was the first West Coast terminal in Canada to be certified by Green Marine, a voluntary environmental program for the Canadian and American marine industry.

We operate in regions that have high biodiversity value, including tropical and arctic areas, boreal forests and deserts. We work to achieve a net positive impact on biodiversity by maintaining or re-establishing self-sustaining landscapes and ecosystems that lead to viable long-term and diverse land uses in the areas in which we operate.

SDG 15 and our Sustainability Strategy

While we have contributed to each of the SDGs, our current Sustainability Strategy also aligns strongly with several SDGs. These are closely linked with our core competencies as a sustainability leader in the mining industry.

Specific alignments between our Sustainability Strategy goals and SDG 15 are:

Examples of our work:

In 2018, Teck partnered with First Nations, the Government of Alberta and industry peers, to help to establish the 166,110 hectare Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Provincial Park. The park contributes to the largest continuous area of protected boreal forest in the world, preserves critical habitat for at-risk species including bison and woodland caribou and safeguards Indigenous People’s traditional uses of these lands.

In 2014, Teck undertook a unique conservation initiative in the East Kootenay region of British Columbia, purchasing approximately 7,150 hectares of private lands in the Elk Valley. It was one of the single biggest private sector investments in land conservation in British Columbia’s history and will protect the lands for wildlife and fish habitats for years to come. The lands that have been protected provide important habitat for numerous species, including grizzly bear, elk, mountain goat, and bighorn sheep, and hold significant cultural value for the Ktunaxa First Nation and local communities.

Teck has also contributed $2 million to the Nature Conservancy of Canada to help conserve a 127-hectare parcel of land on the shore of Columbia Lake, B.C. The area represents a key habitat for bighorn sheep, elk and a number of rare and endangered species. Protecting this land will connect over 7,600 hectares of protected land to create critical wildlife corridors.

Since the 1980s, Teck has helped transfer more than 380 bighorn sheep from our Cardinal River Operations (CRO) to various jurisdictions throughout North America to help rebuild depleted herds. Most recently, working in conjunction with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development and Nebraska Fish and Wildlife, we facilitated the collection and transfer of 41 bighorn sheep to Nebraska. That state’s bighorn sheep population began to decline in the late 1800s due to loss of habitat, unregulated hunting, and disease. Efforts to rebuild the population began in the late 1970s and continue to this day.

Through engagement with our Communities of Interest, we integrate interests and partner with NGOs and governments to inform our approach to biodiversity conservation. Some of our work in protecting species at risk include grizzly bears, caribou and Harlequin ducks.

Our reclamation activities, which are managed by environmental officers at each operation, focus on conserving biodiversity. This work can include the development of diverse wildlife habitats, annual wildlife surveys and aerial seeding in mined-out areas. Our goal is to replace much or most of the structural and compositional diversity of the natural habitats that existed before we developed our mines, creating a positive legacy for the environment and nearby communities.

As a member of the International Council on Mining and Metals, we are committed to not explore or develop in UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Currently, none of our operations or projects are located within areas protected by UNESCO or IUCN; however, the road between Red Dog Operations and its port facility passes through the Cape Krusenstern National Monument, an IUCN category III protected area.

Using a combination of databases to identify global conservation priorities and geographic information systems, we have identified protected areas, areas of high biodiversity value, and species at risk that occur within 25 kilometres of our operations and major development projects. We determined that these characteristics exist within or adjacent to all of our operations; this information is an important input into the development of biodiversity management plans for each operation.

We conduct our business in an honest and ethical manner, and support international efforts to strengthen ethical business practices and transparency in industry. We expect our employees to deal with everyone in a fair and open manner and to conform with the spirit and intent, as well as the technical requirements, of all contracts that we enter into as well as with all laws, regulations and rules that govern us. Our approach to business ethics is guided by our Code of Ethics, which is implemented through our Doing What’s Right program, supported by our anti-corruption policy and practices, and has provisions for conflicts of interest. We maintain and implement a tax policy and disclose our engagement in public policy.

Examples of our work:

We have carried out HRAs at all operations to identify and analyze where there may be human rights risks and, if risks were present, their associated impacts. The process was based on the engagement of multi-disciplinary groups at each operation, including those drawn from Environment, Procurement, Communities and Human Resources.

In 2020 we released an updated Human Rights Policy. In this we reconfirm and publicly state our commitment to respecting and observing all human rights, as articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Labour Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

We support international frameworks such as the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). We participate in the EITI through our ICMM membership and more information can be found on our website. Our Code of Ethics requires that we conduct global business in a moral and ethical manner, and that employees comply with all applicable laws. Under our anti-corruption compliance policy, payments, charitable donations, travel expenses, gifts and entertainment may not be made to government officials to assist us in obtaining or retaining business, nor can employees provide payments, gifts or entertainment that are prohibited by applicable country or local laws.

Doing What’s Right is a Teck program designed to maintain an ethical workplace. This code specifies the types of behaviours required on the job that will ensure our business is conducted with honesty, integrity and respect. Employees have access to a 24/7 anonymous hotline to report concerns about conduct that may be contrary to our values and standards.

We provide anti-corruption training to employees who may be exposed to corruption risks due to the nature of their work. For example, employees who work with government officials or who could potentially have contact with government officials are required to complete an anti-corruption training program.

At its core, sustainability is about relationships between communities, corporations, civil societies and governments. Sustainable development is driven by innovation, partnership and a commitment to sharing best practices. It is through global partnerships that we can create meaningful change and strengthen implementation.

Examples of our work:

We participate in a number of organizations that help guide sustainability practices in our industry, including the International Council on Mining and Metals and the Mining Association of Canada. Additionally, we work with international bodies that aim to improve sustainability performance across sectors, such as the World Economic Forum and the United Nations Global Compact. We have also partnered to enhance our contribution to biodiversity conservation and knowledge, manage supply chain risk and improve the health and environment of communities where we operate and around the world.

Through our Zinc & Health program, Teck has partnered with UNICEF, Nutrition International and the Government of Canada to create the Zinc Alliance for Child Health (ZACH). This public-private-civil society partnership is scaling up the use of zinc and oral rehydration salts for the treatment of diarrhea, the second leading cause of death in children under the age of five. To date, more than 44 million episodes of childhood diarrhea have been treated with zinc and oral rehydration salts as a result of ZACH, and 60,000 healthcare workers have been trained in order to strengthen healthcare systems in high-burden communities.