2020 IGF-PDAC-WEF Sustainability Forum: The Future of Work in the Minerals Industry

The year is 2045, and the world is a very different place.

Coordinated global action enabled the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Inequality has been reduced; renewable energy powers the globe; gender equality is widespread; and worldwide terrestrial and water ecosystems are thriving as the global economy has become more circular. 

We made this happen—but how? What key collaborations, decisions, and actions were taken in the last 25 years to enable this age of peace, prosperity, and progress?

On February 29, 2020, 150+ leaders in the minerals industry—from governments, civil society, and the private sector—came together to answer these questions at the annual Sustainability Forum. The event, which focused on The Future of Work in the Minerals Industry, was co-hosted by the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF), the World Economic Forum (WEF), and the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), and facilitated by Watershed Partners. The forum was held on the sidelines of the 2020 PDAC Convention in Toronto, Canada. 

In collaboration, participants explored what changes would mean for the future of work in the minerals industry. To ensure that the future of work in the minerals industry continues to support the sustainable development of communities and countries in a rapidly changing context, they addressed a host of challenges and opportunities, including: environmental health and safety; relationships among companies, communities, and governments; technological advancements and automation; and the social license to operate.