Independence Group Sustainability Report 2019

IGO’s exploration team work in diverse geographies and environments from remote parts of Australia to new arctic frontiers in East Greenland. With a growing number of people working in smaller exploration teams, often in isolation for lengthy periods at a time, we need to ensure our teams are well equipped to manage the specific conditions. Equally, it is vital that our teams are equipped with the right culture; a culture of empowerment and a culture in which ‘getting
the job done’ is balanced by a demonstrable care for the safety and wellbeing of one another. Empowering our exploration teams to own both their personal and their team’s safety is the primary focus for Ross Jennings, HSE Manager Exploration. “It is simple. Any discovery marred by serious injury or incident is not a successful discovery. For us, a safe discovery is a successful discovery,” says Ross. “Everybody is entitled to a safe work place and to be part of a team in which anyone can speak up when things aren’t right. I’ve seen what happens when this doesn’t happen. It’s about teamwork, empowering individuals to own their responsibilities and being comfortable making decisions.” We are deliberate in our efforts
to shape culture. This starts with choosing the right leaders, people who are concerned with the safety and wellbeing of their people, and then fostering an environment that encourages people to consider the challenges and hazards that may be encountered, and how these are best managed. To this end, each exploration team comprises a mix of both new and experienced IGO employees to help transfer knowledge, skills and experience. WORKING TOWARDS A SAFE DISCOVERY IGO SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2019 — 37