Goldcorp's Day of Remembrance

The Day of Remembrance marked a turning point in our safety culture. Although our annual All Injury Frequency Rate (AIFR) for 2013 was unchanged from 2012, that does not tell the story for the year. Over the first three quarters of 2013, the AIFR rose steadily to 1.95. Then, after the Day of Remembrance, and the implementation of several key safety initiatives, the AIFR dropped steeply, to 1.36 for the fourth quarter. We strongly believe that the awareness and new initiatives were critical factors.   There are few true turning points in the history of a company. The Goldcorp Day of Remembrance observed on October 30th will be remembered as one of those landmark events.   Across our entire business, from northern Canada to southern Argentina, we stopped production and construction to remember those who lost their lives at our operations and collectively confirmed our commitment to safety. This day was an opportunity to stop and think about safety; to identify risks and make our operations safer; and to pay respect to grieving family and friends who have lost their loved ones in industrial accidents over the years.   The families of those who lost their lives attended all sessions and were invited to address the attendees. As they shared their powerful and emotional stories, all of us were deeply touched by how the families were impacted by the loss of their loved ones. Their messages – to care, think, stay alert and stay safe so that our families don’t have to suffer as they have – left a profound impact on everyone who participated. The purpose of the Day of Remembrance was to not only educate but also encourage employees to speak up and intervene when they see something that they feel is unsafe. If we are going to create sites that are Safe Enough for Our Families, we need to work together, to look out for each other and be accountable for ourselves, our co-workers and our families.    We need to go beyond thinking, “What are chances something could go wrong?” and also consider, “What are the consequences if something does go wrong?” We can’t get comfortable or complacent around the equipment and environments we are working with every day.   Based on the overwhelming positive feedback from this event, we plan to reflect on safety in a similar manner annually. Now our primary objective is to maintain the great momentum coming out of the Day of Remembrance through additional activities to support our focus on safe production. We saw a marked reduction in the All Injury Frequency Rate and we are committed to keeping that improvement going. We are only interested in safe production, not production that sacrifices anyone’s well-being. We will only get there if we all work together and do our part.   Learn more about our safety initiatives in our Sustainablity report: csr.goldcorp.com/2013/