An Ethics Council coordinates the work of the Swedish National Pension Fonds, AP1, AP2, AP3 and AP4, on environmental and ethical issues. The aim, collectively, is to promote a positive change in foreign companies linked to infringements of international conventions on the environment and human rights. Companies engaged in mining operations, in particular, have often shown a lack of responsibility when it comes to social and environmental issues.
"We have initiated a direct dialogue with Boliden, among others, in order to gain a better understanding of how Swedish players in the mining industry think and act on these issues. This dialogue will give us a better understanding of the difficulties they face and what can reasonably be demanded of them," says Nadine Viel Lamare, analyst at Första AP-fonden and Chair of the Ethics Council.
A number of representatives from the Ethics Council visited the Aitik mine
at the end of October 2010 as part of this dialogue. The visitors were given both an overall review of Aitik's mining operations and the opportunity to see the production process in person and talk to employees about sustainability issues.
"Boliden is a good example of how to address and manage difficult issues and has made considerable progress when it comes to conducting a dialogue with affected parties in the local community. We will now be taking what we have learned with us in our future dialogues with non-Swedish mining companies," says Nadine Viel Lamare. "If one looks at the mining industry from an international perspective, the biggest challenge lies in raising the minimum level of what one can expect of a mining company's regard for sustainability issues."