People
Empowering every employee to be their best, affording every employee the opportunity to make a difference, and giving every employee a chance to be heard are core NOVAGOLD values. Selection of individuals for executive and other positions within the company is guided by NOVAGOLD’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement, and the company’s policy, which prohibits discrimination and harassment in any aspect of employment based on race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender, pregnancy, genetic information (including of a family member), marital status, parenthood, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or other protected status. NOVAGOLD’s board and management acknowledge the importance of all aspects of diversity including gender, race, ethnic origin, business skills, and experience, because it is good for our business. When considering candidates for executive positions, the board’s evaluation takes into account the broadest possible assessment of each candidate’s skills and background. Our overriding objective is to ensure that we have the appropriate balance of skills, experience, and capacity that the company needs to be successful.
"People play a critical part in ensuring the responsible and successful advancement of the Donlin Gold project — from our corporate office teams to those at the Donlin Gold site, Native Corporation partners Calista and TKC, local stakeholders, contractors and suppliers, all of whom have diverse roles that are deeply valued. The promotion of economic self-reliance among Native communities, through hiring preferences and employment opportunities, economic diversification, maintenance of a subsistence lifestyle, and preferential contract considerations for Native-owned suppliers can bring prosperity to one of the poorest regions in the U.S."
Mélanie Hennessey
Vice President, Corporate Communications
NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC.
During 2021, NOVAGOLD’s management adopted the following Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement applicable to employees:
NOVAGOLD is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion.
Our employees are one of the most valuable assets we have. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities, and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of our culture, reputation, and NOVAGOLD’s achievements.
NOVAGOLD is dedicated to creating an inclusive work environment for everyone. We embrace and celebrate the unique experiences, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds that each employee brings to our workplace. NOVAGOLD strives to foster an environment where our employees feel respected, valued and empowered, and our team members are at the forefront in helping us promote and sustain an inclusive workplace.
NOVAGOLD’s diversity initiatives are applicable – but not limited – to our practices and policies on recruitment and selection; compensation and benefits; professional development and training; promotions; and the ongoing development of a work environment built on the premise of gender and diversity equity. To that end, we seek out qualified diverse candidates to encourage them to apply for open positions, either from within or outside of the company. We also seek out opportunities to develop a pipeline of qualified diverse candidates in a particular profession when we are unable to find them ourselves.
We encourage:
- Respectful communication and cooperation among all employees.
- Teamwork and employee participation, fostering the representation of all employee perspectives.
- Work/life balance through flexible work schedules to accommodate employees’ varying needs.
- Learning about and, where appropriate, providing assistance in the communities near NOVAGOLD’s projects to promote a greater understanding and respect for diversity in those communities.
- Employees who believe they have been subjected to any kind of discrimination that conflicts with the company’s diversity policy and initiatives should seek assistance from a supervisor or an HR representative.
In January 2022, NOVAGOLD’s board adopted a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Policy to formalize a framework for inclusion and to promote diversity in the board. The DEI Policy states that diversity, for purposes of board composition, includes, but is not limited to, business and industry skills and experience, gender, ethnicity, and age. The DEI Policy also sets out the board’s principles and a process to achieve the board’s diversity aspirations.
Selection of individuals for all positions with NOVAGOLD is further guided by our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, a policy that prohibits discrimination in any aspect of employment based on race, color, or religion, including those hired through contractors.
Our relationships and support of each other are key in all our activities. Empowerment of all employees to be their best enables each of us to make a difference and give everyone a chance to be heard. These values extend to the communities in which we work; our employees are encouraged and supported to give back to their communities with paid time off when volunteering locally, either with their professional organizations or through non-profit community organizations.
In January 2015, NOVAGOLD adopted a Human Rights Policy accepting and embracing our responsibility to respect human rights as per the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and as articulated within the International Labor Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the United Nations Global Compact, and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
NOVAGOLD also supports applicable principles and commitments in the International Council on Mining & Metals Position Statement on Mining and Indigenous Peoples, which promotes constructive relationships between the mining and metals industry and Indigenous people based on respect, meaningful engagement, and mutual benefit.
Finally, the NOVAGOLD Mining and Geological Engineering Scholarship at the University of Alaska was established to help support and encourage undergraduate students seeking bachelor’s degrees in mining or geological engineering, with a focus on supporting underrepresented student populations.
