While absolute results are low overall, Polymetal shows one of the three stronger results in Working Conditions. In addition to its formal commitment to ensure safe and healthy working conditions, Polymetal shows a relatively stronger result on the issue of ensuring its operations actively respect the rights of workers to organise, collective bargaining and freedom of association. In addition, the company shows one of the stronger results on the disclosure of information on fatalities and serious injuries and safety incidents.

In the other thematic areas, Polymetal’s results are above the average result across 38 companies in Community Wellbeing, Working Conditions and Environmental Responsibility but below average on Economic Development and Lifecycle Management.

In the mine-site assessment, Polymetal ranks 3rd among the 38 companies on its mine-site-level results, though with an average score of only 24%.

Polymetal is associated with a leading practice on its commitment to a range of measures to mitigate the effects of retrenchment on employees.

Polymetal’s overall results are limited by a lack of evidence of action on a number of key issues, including supporting local entrepreneurship, and local business development, and procurement from local suppliers. Furthermore, the company shows no evidence of tracking the effectiveness of its whistleblowing mechanisms or its performance in reducing adverse impacts on water quality.

In the mine-site assessment, Polymetal demonstrates an unusually high level of consistency in the results achieved by its four assessed mine sites (with scores all within the range 22-28%). However, none of the four mine sites show any relevant evidence on three issues: local employment, air quality and water quality.