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Human resources

The Randgold human resources management framework is designed to provide a workforce that have above average skills, flexibility and diversity to meet the company's current and future business needs in West and Central Africa. It is supported by development and learning opportunities, constructive communication with employee representative groups, effective performance management and sound health and safety practices.

Human resources operational teams ensure that the full gambit of people management issues are dealt with effectively and in accordance with company policies. During the past year these teams focused on:

  • Improving and streamlining recruitment activities
  • Reviewing of the production bonus scheme at Loulo
  • Strengthening communication with worker represen- tative groups
  • Performance management

MANPOWER LEVELS

Manpower levels in the group increased during the year reflecting the growth of capital projects, Loulo mine, Tongon mine and the Kibali project. The figures across the group are shown on page 65.

Corporate, operational offices and mines

At 31 December 2010, Randgold had a corporate complement of 82 employees as follows

  • Finance, commercial and legal maintained its complement at six
  • Corporate, exploration and technical complement increased to nine
  • Capital projects increased to 16 with the recruitment of a costing engineer for the Kibali project
  • Operational centre Bamako complement remained at 16
  • The corporate executive has a complement of five
  • Seven Bridges complement of 14

Seven Bridges

The company's South African logistics and support subsidiary, Seven Bridges Trading 14 (Pty) Limited, employs 14 full-time employees.

Exploration and technical department

The number of permanent geological national staff working on exploration projects is 221. This excludes the geological staff employed within the Loulo lease area. Currently we have 59 qualified geologists in the field at Loulo.

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

The company supports the role of unions and representative committees to strengthen its pact with labour which is structured through internal establishment agreements. Employee participation is enhanced by the presence of local mine shop stewards in quarterly board meetings.

At Tongon, the political instability of the country resulted in a challenging period towards the end of 2010. Presidential elections were held which resulted in extended absence of staff as they were required to vote in the areas where they were registered, largely Abidjan. At the same time the operation released a number of construction staff in line with the completion of various construction phases. The release of these employees compounded the general feeling of uncertainty and members of the community and some ex-workers blockaded the entrance of the mine preventing employees from entering the mine for a number of days until a settlement could be reached for the redeployment of the released employees to other construction projects. It is worth noting that, notwithstanding these challenges, Tongon continued production during this difficult period.

At Loulo, a second union was established on the mine. This union (CSTM) has recently gained dominant representation. While mine agreements made between management and the original union (UNTM) have been respected, allowance is made for their renegotiation every two years. Renegotiation of these agreements is expected to take place in 2011.

RECRUITMENT

With the build-up of the Tongon operation, the department was largely focused on the recruitment of manpower for the operations phase, paying particular attention to sourcing employees from the surrounding villages.

TRAINING

The following courses were given at the operations during the past year:

  • Driving competency
  • First aid
  • Community development
  • Environmental law & rehabilitation
  • Cyanide safety
  • Hazardous substances
  • Metallurgy processes
  • Engineering maintenance
  • Electrical and mechanical practice
  • Air conditioner repair
  • Occupational health
  • Computer literacy
  • Supervision
  • Sanvic mechanical training
  • Compressor maintenance
  • Electrical competency

A total of 536 employees attended these courses during the year. In addition, the company sponsored a number of employees to further extend their tertiary qualifications at universities in South Africa, Senegal, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

WORKPLACE DIVERSITY

As an African mining company, Randgold strives to recruit as many local employees in senior positions in its operations as possible or, where the required skills are not locally available, from elsewhere within Africa. The company practices a policy of non-discrimination as stipulated in the respective establishment agreements signed with trade unions on our operations. Gender is a factor in recruiting a diverse and representative workforce and we have a substantial number of female employees in corporate as well as operational positions. The most senior of these are:

  • Group corporate communications manager
  • Group financial manager
  • Principal generative geologist
  • Mining manager
  • Mineral resource manager
  • Business assurance manager
  • Human resources controller
  • Senior human resources officer