GRANDE CÔTE OPERATIONS
AFRICA philosophy is to employ and train ,” Finnis said . “ We have a highly skilled set of expats here doing the training for us and there are very well educated people here who will continue to grow in the organisation .
“ Skill sets in areas like some trades , instrumentation and high tech plant aspects we don ’ t see exist , so we have to make sure we tailor our training and expatriate support for areas like that .
“ We are looking long term and building for the future so that in a couple of years the local guys will have received the high levels of guidance and mentoring required to take over from the expats and to run things themselves .”
Local focus CSR and sustainability doesn ’ t just stop at employment opportunities either , with a tailored sustainability department set up to cover areas of environmental considerations , health and safety procedures , community initiatives and corporate aid .
“ Beginning with the Grande Côte workers , in a perfect world we employ people locally rather than from Dakar so they can go home every night to their families , get plenty of rest and come to work refreshed and happy ,” Finnis said . “ We have therefore started a housing scheme so our workers can afford to buy and own their own home over a number of years .
“ We have set this up with BHS , a Senegalese
“ We are looking long term and building for the future so that , in a couple of years , the local guys will have received the high levels of guidance and mentoring required to take over from the expats and to run everything themselves ”
– Simon Finnis
Top view of the surge bin on the Wet Concentrator Plant
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