After appreciating that the most important mining license for any responsible mining company is social licence, Gold Fields has reshaped how corporate social responsibility is conceived and delivered in Ghana’s mining communities.
The company, now, is placing people, partnerships, and long-term impact at the centre of its operations.
Gold Fields has arguably become the trailblazer in the conception and implementation of CSR in the country’s mining industry and within the Chamber of Mines.
In an interaction with some Fellows of the Africa Extractives Media Fellowship (AEMF), the President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, who doubles as the Vice President of Gold Fields West Africa Region, Michael Edem Akafia, recounted actions, decisions, and impacts of Gold Fields’ CSR initiatives.
Social Licence Before Mineral Rights
For Gold Fields, mining does not begin with a permit; it begins with trust. The company’s leadership believes that without harmony with host communities, no mining operation can sustainably thrive.
“If you don’t live in peace with your community, how do you expect to mine with peace of mind?” is the philosophy driving the company’s approach.
This belief has elevated social licence above mineral rights, positioning community wellbeing not as charity, but as a core business necessity.
Moving Beyond Mandatory CSR
When the government made a proposal to impose a mandatory 1% levy on mining revenues for community investments, Gold Fields and industry players pushed back. The push back was not against community support, but against the rigidity of the model.
Their concern was that once CSR becomes a tax, it risks becoming transactional. Experiences from countries like Burkina Faso showed that mandatory CSR can discourage deeper engagement, with companies doing only the bare minimum.
After the U-turn of the government on this move, shifting towards community-negotiated agreements, Gold Fields applauded and welcomed the move.
A Formula That Works for Communities
Long before CSR became a regulatory conversation, Gold Fields had already taken the lead. The company pioneered a clear, transparent formula for community investments. The company was initially contributing US$1 per ounce of gold produced.
Over time, this evolved into a percentage of pre-tax profits, moving from 0.5% to 1%, and now 1.5%.
This steady increase reflects the company’s commitment to ensuring the well-being of its host communities and not a mere obligation.
The Gold Fields Foundation: CSR With Structure
At the core of Gold Fields’ community engagement is a dedicated foundation that serves as its primary CSR vehicle. Funding flows automatically into this foundation, ensuring consistency and predictability.
Importantly, 10% of all funds are set aside in a “legacy fund” designed to support communities long after mining ends.
Managed by professional fund managers, this fund ensures that development does not disappear when extraction stops.
Bottom-Up Development, Not Top-Down Decisions
Unlike traditional and widely known CSR models, where projects are selected from corporate offices, Gold Fields uses a bottom-up approach.
In Tarkwa, for example, a Community Consultative Committee, made up of representatives from all stakeholder groups, meets quarterly to decide how funds should be used. One cycle may prioritise a hospital, another a school or police station.
This process ensures that projects reflect real community needs, not corporate assumptions.
Visible Impact, Shared Pride
A walk through a mining community like Tarkwa will reveal the visible and tangible impact of Gold Fields’ CSR exploits. Hospitals, schools, and police stations are clearly branded as Gold Fields–supported projects and stand as visible reminders of partnership.
But beyond branding, the real value lies in ownership. Communities see these projects as theirs, not handouts, strengthening trust and cooperation.
ESG Commitments and Healthy Competition
Gold Fields’ approach is also driven by global Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards. As a listed multinational, the company competes not for market share with peers like Newmont or AngloGold Ashanti, but for reputation.
Indexes such as the Dow Sustainability Index measure how well companies contribute to society. In this space, responsible miners compete to do more, not less.
From Spending to Impact: The New Direction
Currently, Gold Fields is shifting its focus from simply tracking how much is spent in host communities to measuring real impact.
The company is shifting towards how the investments have improved livelihoods, employment, procurement, and long-term resilience.
The goal is not just to invest community money, but to prove that it is changing lives.
The Bottomline
Gold Fields says its CSR model rests on the simple notion that when host communities thrive, mining operations thrive too.
By treating communities as partners, planning for life after mining, and prioritising trust over compliance, Gold Fields is redefining what responsible mining looks like in Ghana.
It is also setting a standard others are increasingly following.
