Digbee are pleased to announce a joint initiative with SP Angel, the number one ranked advisor to the AIM Mining sector. The collaboration will bring ESG accreditation to mining companies in their drive to meet institutional investment and rapidly evolving ESG standards and regulatory requirements.
We are rapidly approaching a point where a company’s ESG profile will not simply be a positive investment factor but will become a precondition to investment by many investment funds.
The Digbee guidance and ratings process is specifically designed to assist mining companies looking to reach the new expectations and ensure directors meet their ESG compliance objectives.
The initiative will not only quantify and score the ESG profile of qualifying companies but will also highlight ESG improvements and positive performance as companies develop.
Importantly, the process will enable investment funds to demonstrate the positive results of their investments to their underlying investors and stakeholders which can, in turn, lead to further funding.
It is imperative that any ESG Rating is seen to be credible and our solution was developed to address this: it is mining specific, right sized and future looking, based on an independent assessment of a submission that is supported by evidence and approved by the company’s board of directors. It will also address investor frustration at a lack of comparable or meaningful data.
For companies at an earlier stage of their ESG journey, recording improvements over time is likely to prove attractive to investment funds as a demonstration of their ESG commitment permitting institutional investment at an earlier stage.
The direction of travel is now firmly towards renewable sources of energy and a transition to environmental sensitivity. Historically, regardless of the individual facts, miners have collectively been identified as bad actors in this regard. Digbee engagement and ratings should improve the visibility of the good work being done.
For example, installing, wind and solar generation to displace oil and gas should not only cut energy costs but also reduce carbon emissions. Sharing this energy with a local community may further reduce emissions, strengthen community engagement and lead to long-term sustainable benefits well beyond the end of the mine life. Similarly, a mine closure, thoughtfully done, can leave a positive community legacy that will stand a company in good stead when it is seeking new mining opportunities. Having a third party ESG specialist incorporate these initiatives into a rating accepted by investors will help secure the credit such initiatives deserve.
Jamie Strauss, Founder & CEO, Digbee Ltd:
“We are delighted with this joint initiative with SP Angel, the number one ranked advisor to the AIM Mining sector*. SP Angel has acknowledged the importance of presenting their corporate clients to institutional investors with credible ESG disclosure as an increasing prerequisite to encourage new investment. We look forward to working together to achieve a more sustainable mining industry that is recognised for its positive actions.”
John Meyer, Mining Analyst & Partner at SP Angel:
“Working with Jamie Strauss and Digbee will help prepare our corporate clients for ESG-orientated investment. Mining, exploration, and development companies contribute much to local communities which combined with the potential benefits of increasingly sustainable operations is worthy of recognition. Quantifying the benefits, improvements and legacies of these operations should act a catalyst to further improvement to the benefit of all stakeholders”.
*SP Angel is ranked No 1. By the AIM Advisers Guide No 1. For Basic Materials Clients by number of clients and by Client Market Cap.
Resources
Read the full press release from SP Angel
