Reporting
2021 Sustainability Reporting Data Sheet
NOVAGOLD is focused on precious metals and the development of its Donlin Gold project in Alaska, owned in equal partnership with the second-largest global gold producer: Barrick Gold Corporation. The project is at the development level and permitting stage. No construction decision has been made. Donlin Gold LLC is a committed partner with the Alaska Native communities both surrounding the project and within the state as a whole. An important factor that distinguishes the Donlin Gold project from most other mining assets in Alaska is that the project is located on private land that was designated for mining activities five decades ago.
2020 Sustainability Reporting Data Sheet
NOVAGOLD believes it is appropriate to increase transparency, accountability, and enhance the suite of ESG metrics the company discloses to stakeholders. We’re committed to providing stage-appropriate and relevant information, to all stakeholders, about ESG performance in alignment with the Donlin Gold project partner Barrick Gold Corporation. NOVAGOLD is working with Barrick to implement international best practice and industry standards at the Donlin Gold project and plans to expand disclosure as the project eventually moves toward construction and into operation. We are strong proponents of ongoing engagement and consultation with stakeholders through the entire development process.
All reporting data listed below is based on NOVAGOLD’s 2021 fiscal year.
2021 Sustainability Summary
NOVAGOLD is focused on precious metals and the development of its Donlin Gold project in Alaska, owned in equal partnership with the second-largest global gold producer: Barrick Gold Corporation. The project is at the development level and permitting stage. No construction decision has been made. Donlin Gold LLC is a committed partner with the Alaska Native communities both surrounding the project and within the state as a whole. An important factor that distinguishes the Donlin Gold project from most other mining assets in Alaska is that the project is located on private land that was designated for mining activities five decades ago.
2021 ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE
The results below are reported separately for Donlin Gold LLC and NOVAGOLD. Additional details on environmental practices can be found on the Donlin Gold LLC website: www.donlingold.com.
Production Statistics
| Donlin Gold LLC | NOVAGOLD | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Value | Comments | Value | Comments |
| Ounces of Gold Produced (Poured Ounces) | 0 | Not applicable - All of these are not applicable because the Donlin Gold project is not yet in operation. | 0 | Not applicable - NOVAGOLD has no operating projects. |
| Ore mined - Open Pit | 0 | Not Applicable | 0 | Not Applicable |
| Waste Rock Mined - Open Pit | 0 | Not Applicable | 0 | Not Applicable |
| Total Ore Processed | 0 | Not Applicable | 0 | Not Applicable |
| Cyanide Used | 0 | Not Applicable | 0 | Not Applicable |
| Waste Rock Backfilled - Surface | 0 | Not Applicable | 0 | Not Applicable |
| Tailings Produced | 0 | Not Applicable | 0 | Not Applicable |
| Waste That is Geochemically Reactive | 0 | Not Applicable | 0 | Not Applicable |
Environmental Incidents
| Donlin Gold LLC | NOVAGOLD | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Value | Comments | Value | Comments |
| Class I - High | 0 | Immediately reportable to government agencies or impacts beyond site boundary or to surface or ground water, or wildlife mortality of a protected species. | 0 | Immediately reportable to government agencies or impacts beyond site boundary or to surface or ground water, or wildlife mortality of a protected species. |
| Class II - Medium | 1 | Reportable, but not immediately, to government agencies, within site boundary, no impacts to surface or ground water; or multiple wildlife mortalities of non-protected species. | 0 | Reportable, but not immediately, to government agencies, within site boundary, no impacts to surface or ground water; or multiple wildlife mortalities of non-protected species. |
| Class III - Low | 1 | Not reportable to government agencies, minimal impact within site boundary, and no more than one wildlife mortality. | 0 | Not reportable to government agencies, minimal impact within site boundary, and no more than one wildlife mortality. |
| How Many Environmental Incidents were Reported to the Authority? | 1 | 0 | ||
Non-Compliances
| Donlin Gold LLC | NOVAGOLD | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Value | Comments | Value | Comments |
| Air | 1 | Non-compliance not related to any emissions but to a late report. | 0 | |
| Water | 3 | Administrative violations of permit conditions, not for any environmental effects. | 0 | |
| Waste | 0 | 0 | ||
| Land | 0 | 0 | ||
| Wildlife | 0 | 0 | ||
| Other | 0 | 0 | ||
Environmental Related Fines
| Donlin Gold LLC | NOVAGOLD | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Value | Comments | Value | Comments |
| Number of Fines Levied | 0 | 0 | ||
| Value of Environmental- Related Fines | 0 | 0 | ||
Spills
| Donlin Gold LLC | NOVAGOLD | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Value | Comments | Value | Comments |
| Number of Spills | 1 | None reportable to agencies, none to water, all less than 10 gallons to land. | 0 | |
| Volume of Oil Spills - Liters | 3 | None reportable to agencies, none to water, all less than 10 gallons to land. | 0 | |
| Volume of Fuel Spills - Liters | 0 | 0 | ||
| Volume of Waste Spills - Liters | 0 | 0 | ||
| Volume of Chemical Spills - Liters | 0 | 0 | ||
| Volume of Other Spills - Liters | 0 | 0 | ||
Closure and Rehabilitation
| Donlin Gold LLC | NOVAGOLD | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Value | Comments | Value | Comments |
| Total Land Disturbed and Not Yet Rehabilitated at Start of Reporting Period - Hectares | 0.03 | All land disturbance is associated with limited exploration level activities, no on-site mine waste or water management facilities. | 0 | |
| Total Amount of Land Newly Disturbed within Reporting Period - Hectares | 6.15 | All land disturbance is associated with limited exploration level activities, no on-site mine waste or water management facilities. | 0 | |
| Total Amount of Land Newly Rehabilitated within Reporting Period - Hectares | 2.75 | All land disturbance is associated with limited exploration level activities, no on-site mine waste or water management facilities. | 0 | |
| Total Rehab Planned for the Year (Hectares) | 2.75 | All land disturbance is associated with limited exploration level activities, no on-site mine waste or water management facilities. | 0 | |
Waste
| Donlin Gold LLC | NOVAGOLD | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Value | Comments | Value | Comments |
| Hazardous Waste Produced - Tonnes | 0 | 0 | ||
| Non-Hazardous Waste Produced - Tonnes | 27 | 0 | With office shutdowns in 2021, non-hazardous waste generation was minimal in NOVAGOLD offices (<`50 pounds, rounded to zero tonnes) | |
| Hazardous Waste Recycled - Tonnes | 0 | 0 | ||
| Non-Hazardous Waste Recycled - Tonnes | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total Reused - Tonnes | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total Waste to Landfill - Tonnes | 21 | 0 | ||
| Total Waste Incinerated - Tonnes | 6 | 0 | ||
| Mercury Produced as a By-Product / Co-Product - Tonnes | 0 | No production or processing at Donlin Gold | 0 | |
Emissions
| Donlin Gold LLC | NOVAGOLD | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Value | Comments | Value | Comments |
| NOx - Stationary Sources - Tonnes | 0 | De minimis, small camp with no production at the Donlin Gold project | 0 | |
| Number of Regulatory Exceedances | 0 | De minimis, small camp with no production at the Donlin Gold project | 0 | |
| SOx - Stationary Sources - Tonnes | 0 | De minimis, small camp with no production at the Donlin Gold project | 0 | |
| Number of Regulatory Exceedances | 0 | De minimis, small camp with no production at the Donlin Gold project | 0 | |
| Particulate Matter - PM 10 - μg/m3 | 0 | De minimis, small camp with no production at the Donlin Gold project | 0 | |
| Mercury Air Emissions - Tonnes | 0 | No production or processing at Donlin Gold | 0 | |
| Number of Regulatory Exceedances | 0 | 0 | ||
| Other Air Emissions as Regulated (Tonnes) | 0 | 0 | ||
Water Use
| Donlin Gold LLC | NOVAGOLD | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Value | Comments | Value | Comments |
| Surface Water - Cubic Meters | 0 | 1,129 | Includes Salt Lake City and Vancouver offices | |
| Groundwater - Cubic Meters | 1,684 | All returned to ground after treatment | 0 | |
| Total Withdrawals - Cubic Meters | 1,684 | 1,129 | ||
Energy Inputs / GHG Emissions
| Donlin Gold LLC | NOVAGOLD | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Value | Comments | Value | Comments |
| Electricity - from Outside Sources - KwH | 0 | All on-site power generation | 54,270 | All NOVAGOLD power from outside sources |
| Electricity - Self-Generated - KwH | 814,023 | 0 | ||
| Diesel Used for Power Generation - Liters | 137,305 | 0 | ||
| HFO Used for Power Generation - Liters | 0 | 0 | ||
| Electricity Produced by Renewable Sources - KwH | 0 | 0 | ||
| Natural Gas - MMBTU | 0 | 0 | ||
| Diesel Used (Less Consumption for Power Generation) - Liters | 246,515 | 0 | ||
| Propane Used - Liters | 4,508 | 0 | ||
| Petrol / Gasoline Used - Liters | 11,966 | 0 | ||
| Aviation Fuel Used | 118,485 | 0 | ||
| Total Scope 1 GHG Emissions - Tonnes of CO2 | 1,084 | 0 | ||
| Scope 1 GHG Emissions from Diesel - Stationary | 369 | 0 | ||
| Scope 1 GHG Emissions from Diesel - Mobile | 661 | 0 | ||
| Total Scope 2 GHG Emissions | 0 | 34 | ||
2021 SOCIAL PERFORMANCE
The results below are reported separately for Donlin Gold LLC and NOVAGOLD, where applicable. Donlin Gold LLC information is reported on a 100 percent basis. For additional details on NOVAGOLD’s community and social development practices, please refer to NOVAGOLD’s most recent Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, and management information circular dated March 25, 2022, available at www.sec.gov, www.SEDAR.com or on NOVAGOLD’s website at www.novagold.com/investors/invest/.
Additional details on social practices can also be found on the Donlin Gold LLC website: www.donlingold.com.
Employment
| Item | Donlin Gold | NOVAGOLD | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total OR | ||||
| Low (if applicable) | High (if applicable) | |||
| Male Employees | 11 | 64 | 7 | High ranges of Donlin Gold LLC employees in all rows reflects the seasonal nature of work at the project site. |
| Female Employees | 10 | 17 | 6 | In 2021, women comprised 46 percent (six of 13) of NOVAGOLD’s employees. |
| Male Contractors | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Female Contractors | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Local Employees | 18 | 75 | Not applicable | “Local” is defined as Alaska |
| Regional Employees | 2 | 30 | Not applicable | “Regional” is defined as Yukon-Kuskokwim region |
| Shareholder Employees | 6 | 46 | Not applicable | “Shareholder” refers to having a relationship with Calista or TKC* |
| National Employees | 21 | 81 | 13 | “National” for Donlin Gold LLC refers to the USA; For NOVAGOLD, to USA and Canada |
| Foreign National Employees | 0 | 0 | 0 | All employees / contractors are U.S. or Canadian citizens |
| Local Senior Managers | 6 | 6 | Not applicable | |
| Regional Senior Managers | 0 | 0 | Not applicable | |
| National Senior Managers | 6 | 8 | Not applicable | |
| Foreign National Senior Managers | 0 | 0 | Not applicable | All employees / contractors are U.S. or Canadian citizens |
| Number of Non-Management Employees who are Female | 6 | 14 | 5 | “Non-Management” for NOVAGOLD means non-executive |
| Number of Management-Level Employees who are Female | 3 | 3 | 1 | “Management” for NOVAGOLD means executive |
| Local Contractors | 0 | 0 | Not tracked | |
| Regional Contractors | 0 | 0 | Not tracked | |
| National Contractors | 0 | 0 | Not tracked | |
| Foreign National Contractors | 0 | 0 | Not applicable | All employees / contractors are U.S. or Canadian citizens |
| Number of Suppliers with Clauses in Contracts Related to Local Employment | 0 | 0 | Not applicable | |
| * Calista Corporation (Calista), which owns the mineral resources at the Donlin Gold project, and the The Kuskokwim Corporation (TKC), which owns much of the surface land, are the Alaska Native Corporations that are our partners on the Donlin Gold project. | ||||
Turn Over
| Item | Donlin Gold | NOVAGOLD | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total OR | ||||
| Low (if applicable) | High (if applicable) | |||
| Total Number of Employees Who Left the Organization Voluntarily | 65 | 0 | Field season ended, Camp closure | |
| Total Number of Employees Who Left the Organization Due to Dismissal | 5 | 0 | ||
| Total Number of New Employee Hires | 71 | 1 | ||
| Percentage of Open Positions Filled by Internal Candidates | 0 | 0 | ||
Labor Unions
| Item | Donlin Gold | NOVAGOLD | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total OR | ||||
| Low (if applicable) | High (if applicable) | |||
| Number of Employees Covered by Collective Bargaining Agreements | 0 | 0 | There are no unionized employees at either NOVAGOLD or Donlin Gold LLC. | |
| Days Lost to Strike Action | 0 | 0 | ||
Training
| Item | Donlin Gold | NOVAGOLD | Comments | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total OR | |||||
| Low (if applicable) | High (if applicable) | ||||
| Total Hours of Training for Employees | 820 | Not tracked | |||
| Hours of Environmental Training for Employees and Contractors | 353 | Not tracked | |||
| Hours of Health, Safety, and Emergency Response Training for Employees | 388 | Not tracked | |||
| Hours of Health, Safety, and Emergency Response Training for Contractors | 108 | 0 | |||
Local Employment Plan
| Item | Donlin Gold | NOVAGOLD | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total OR | ||||
| Low (if applicable) | High (if applicable) | |||
| Is a Local Employment Plan In Place? | Yes | Not applicable | For Donlin Gold LLC, this relates to local Land Agreement/Shareholder hire agreements with Calista and TKC | |
Health and Safety
| Item | Donlin Gold | NOVAGOLD | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total OR | ||||
| Low (if applicable) | High (if applicable) | |||
| Near Misses | 11 | 0 | ||
| First Aid / Minor Injury | 4 | 0 | ||
| Medical - Days of Restriction | 12 | 0 | ||
| Hours Worked - Employees and Contractors | 171,292 | Not tracked | ||
| LTIFR | 0 | 0 | Lost Time Incident Frequency Rate is defined using the calculation of number of lost-time injuries per one million employee hours worked. | |
| TRIFR | 1.16 | 0 | Total Recordable Incident Frequency Rate is defined as an incidence rate of lost-time injuries, fatalities, and medical incidents and is computed using the formula: (number of injuries and illnesses X 200,000) / employee hours worked = medical incidence rate. Note: ‘200,000’ represents the number of hours 100 employees work based on 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year, and provides the standard base for calculating the incidence rate for an entire year. | |
Human Rights
| Item | Donlin Gold | NOVAGOLD | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total OR | |||||
| Low (if applicable) | High (if applicable) | ||||
| Number of Employees Trained on Human Rights | 71 | 13 | |||
| Number of Human Rights Grievances Escalated to Legal | 0 | 0 | |||
Business Ethics
| Item | Donlin Gold | NOVAGOLD | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total OR | ||||
| Low (if applicable) | High (if applicable) | |||
| Number of Reportable Code of Conduct Breaches Reported in the Fiscal Year | 0 | 0 | ||
| Number of How Many Hours of Training on Anti-Corruption Received in the Fiscal Year | 71 | Not tracked | ||
Purchases
| Item | Donlin Gold | NOVAGOLD | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total OR | ||||
| Low (if applicable) | High (if applicable) | |||
| Purchases from Regional Suppliers - $USD | $ 821,071 | Not tracked | Good / Services from Y-K region | |
| Purchases from Local Suppliers - $USD | $ 9,800,220 | Not tracked | Regional and Local (Alaska) | |
| Purchases from National Suppliers - $USD | $ 16,931,030 | Not tracked | Regional, Local, and National (US) | |
| Purchases from International Suppliers - $USD | $ 7,221,612 | Not tracked | International only | |
Suppliers
| Item | Donlin Gold | NOVAGOLD | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total OR | ||||
| Low (if applicable) | High (if applicable) | |||
| Number of Regional Suppliers | 490 | Not tracked | “Regional” is defined as Yukon-Kuskokwim region | |
| Number of Local Suppliers | 1,283 | Not tracked | “Local” is defined as Alaska | |
| Number of National Suppliers | 2,103 | Not tracked | Regional, Local, and National (US) | |
| Number of International Suppliers | 150 | Not tracked | International only | |
| Local Procurement Plan in Place | 0 | Not applicable | ||
Grievances Received
| Item | Donlin Gold | NOVAGOLD | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total OR | ||||
| Low (if applicable) | High (if applicable) | |||
| Human Rights (Automatically Escalated) | 0 | 0 | ||
| Unmet Obligation | 0 | 0 | ||
| Resettlement / Relocation | 0 | 0 | ||
| Land Compensation | 0 | 0 | ||
| Land Encroachment | 0 | 0 | ||
| Land Access | 0 | 0 | ||
| Property Damage | 0 | 0 | ||
| Road Quality | 0 | 0 | ||
| Driving / Speeding | 0 | 0 | ||
| Security Behavior | 0 | 0 | ||
| Employee Behavior | 0 | 0 | ||
| Contractor Behavior | 0 | 0 | ||
| Contractor Payment Problems | 0 | 0 | ||
| Local Procurement / Contracting | 0 | 0 | ||
| Local Employment | 0 | 0 | ||
| Spills | 0 | 0 | ||
| Water | 0 | 0 | ||
| Dust | 0 | 0 | ||
| Emissions | 0 | 0 | ||
| Noise / Light | 0 | 0 | ||
| Vibrations | 0 | 0 | ||
| Other | 1 | 0 | ||
Grievances Resolutions
| Item | Donlin Gold | NOVAGOLD | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total OR | ||||
| Low (if applicable) | High (if applicable) | |||
| Total Number of Grievances Remaining From the Previous Period | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total Number of Grievances Received | 1 | 0 | ||
Community Engagement
| Item | Donlin Gold | NOVAGOLD | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total OR | ||||
| Low (if applicable) | High (if applicable) | |||
| Number of Engagements with Local Community Members | 1,065 | Not applicable | For Donlin Gold LLC, this is tracked across more than 56 communities in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region. | |
Community Investment - Donlin Gold project only
| Item | Donlin Gold | NOVAGOLD | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total OR | ||||
| Low (if applicable) | High (if applicable) | |||
| Health - $USD | $ 153,699 | Not applicable | All NOVAGOLD investments are made through Donlin Gold LLC under the 50/50 partnership with Barrick. Therefore, NOVAGOLD provides 50 percent of the funds for the Donlin Gold LLC investments. | |
| Education - $USD | $ 244,694 | Not applicable | ||
| Arts, Culture & Sports - $USD | $ 415,491 | Not applicable | ||
| Environment - $USD | $ 387,936 | Not applicable | ||
| Economic Development - $USD | $ 49,110 | Not applicable | ||
| Infrastructure - $USD | $ 42,000 | Not applicable | ||
| Water Infrastructure - $USD | $ 0 | Not applicable | ||
| Community Engagement - $USD | $ 20,697 | Not applicable | ||
| Other - $USD | $ 7,006 | Not applicable | ||
| Scholarships Provided - Quantity | $ 370,875 | Not applicable | ||
| Compensation Payments - $USD | $ 0 | Not applicable | ||
2021 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE PERFORMANCE
For additional details on NOVAGOLD’s corporate governance practices, please see the most recent management information circular dated March 25, 2022 and posted to www.sec.gov, www.SEDAR.com or the NOVAGOLD website at www.novagold.com/investors/invest/.
General
| Governance Item | Value | Additional Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Location of Corporate Office | Vancouver, B.C., Canada; Salt Lake City, UT, USA | |
| Description of Services / Products | Gold mine developer | |
| Location of Projects | Not Applicable | |
| Status of Operations | Not Applicable | |
| Ownership | Publicly traded corporation under the laws of British Columbia, Canada, and trading on the NYSE American and TSX stock exchanges under the symbol NG. | |
| Does the Company have an Enterprise Level Environmental Policy? | Yes. Applicable policy: https://www.novagold.com/_resources/governance/Environmental_Policy.pdf | |
| Global Compact Signatory | No | |
| Memberships in Associations | Alaska Miners Association, Council of Alaska Producers, National Mining Association, Resource Development Council (Alaska), and American Exploration and Mining Association (national) | |
| Statement from Senior Decision Maker | Annual messages from Chairman and CEO are contained in the company’s annual report available on the website at https://www.novagold.com/investors/financials/ | |
| Values, Principles, Standards, and Norms of Behavior | See https://www.novagold.com/_resources/governance/Code-of-Business-Conduct-and-Ethics-2014-01-10.pdf and Code of Business Conduct | |
| Does the Company have a Publicly Disclosed Code of Conduct? | Yes. Applicable policy: Code-of-Business-Conduct-and-Ethics-2014-01-10.pdf (novagold.com) | |
| Mechanisms for Advice and Concerns about Ethics | Yes. Applicable policy: Code-of-Business-Conduct-and-Ethics-2014-01-10.pdf (novagold.com) | |
| Whistleblower Policy or Programs, Including Confidential Hotline and Stated Protection of Whistleblowers | Yes. Applicable policy: Code-of-Business-Conduct-and-Ethics-2014-01-10.pdf (novagold.com) | |
| Process for Delegating Authority for Economic, Environmental, and Social Topics from the Highest Governance Body to Senior Executives and Other Employees | Yes. Applicable policy: See pages 91-104 of Management Proxy Circular dated March 25, 2022 | |
| Board Member or Board Committee Responsible for ESG Issues | Applicable resources: https://www.novagold.com/_resources/governance/Corporate-Governance-and-Nominations-Charter-updated-Jan-27-2021.pdf and https://www.novagold.com/_resources/governance/EHSS-Technical-Committee-Charter-2016-11-18.pdf | |
| Composition of the Highest Governance Body and its Committees | The Board of Directors is the highest governing body, consisting of 10 Directors, eight of whom are independent. There are five standing committees: Audit; Compensation; Environment, Health, Safety, Sustainability and Technical; Corporate Governance and Nominations; and Corporate Communications. https://www.novagold.com/company/directors/ | |
| How many Women / What Proportion of Women are on the Board | 3 of 10, or 30% | |
| How many Directors Serve on the Board | 10 | |
| Board Diversity and Board Independence | Yes. See page 96-100 of Management Information Circular dated March 25, 2022 regarding Board independence and pages 100-103 regarding Board diversity | |
| Diversity Programs | See pages 96-100 of Management Information Circular dated March 25, 2022 | |
| Chair of the Highest Governance Body | Thomas Kaplan, Chairman of the Board | |
| The Classification of the Board Chair | Non-independent | |
| Does the Board have an Independent Lead Director? | Yes. Anthony Walsh serves as the Board’s independent Lead Director | |
| Conflicts of Interest | See pages 95-96 and 100-101 of Management Information Circular dated March 25, 2022 and the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics: https://www.novagold.com/_resources/governance/Code-of-Business-Conduct-and-Ethics-2014-01-10.pdf | |
| Role of the Highest Governance Body in Setting Purpose, Values, and Strategy | See pages 91-104 of the Management Information Circular dated March 25, 2022 | |
| Collective Knowledge of Highest Governance Body | Board of Directors is highest governance body; see biographies of Directors at https://www.novagold.com/company/directors/ and additional Director background in the Management Information Circular dated March 25, 2022 | |
| Evaluation of the Highest Governance Body’s Performance | See pages 103 of the Management Information Circular dated March 25, 2022 | |
| Remuneration Policies | See Management Information Circular dated March 25, 2022 | |
| Responsibility for Board and Executive Compensation | See pages 29-59 of Management Information Circular dated March 25, 2022 and the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics: https://www.novagold.com/_resources/governance/Code-of-Business-Conduct-and-Ethics-2014-01-10.pdf | |
| Process for Determining Remuneration | See Compensation Discussion and Analysis and Non-Executive Director Compensation in the Management Information Circular dated March 25, 2022 | |
| Has the Company Adopted an Advisory Executive Compensation “Say on Pay” vote? | Yes, vote held annually | In 2021 shareholders cast 96.5% votes in favor of “Say on Pay” |
| Approach to Shareholder Engagement | Maintaining an active shareholder engagement program continues to be a high priority for the Company and is an integral part of our corporate governance practices. The Board Chair, CEO, and Vice President of Corporate Communications meet regularly with large shareholders, and the Company’s Corporate Communications team is very responsive to shareholder inquiries regardless of ownership level. In 2021, NOVAGOLD placed calls to or met in person with all of its shareholders owning 40,000 shares or more; in other words, NOVAGOLD contacted or attempted to contact its owners holding approximately 92% of the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Shares entitled to vote at NOVAGOLD’s 2021 annual meeting of shareholders. We plan to continue to regularly engage with our shareholders. | |
| Date of Most Recent Annual Financial Report | Annual Report on Form 10-K filed January 26, 2022 | |
| Financial Reporting Cycle | 2021 annual financial results reported January 2022. Q1 2022 financial report on Form 10-Q filed April 5, 2022; additional Form 10-Q filings planned in June 2022 and October 2022. | |
| Sustainability Reporting Cycle | Sustainability Report issued annually | |
| Contact Point for Questions Regarding ESG Disclosure | Vice President, Corporate Communications or Manager, Investor Relations: info@novagold.com or Telephone: 604-669-6227; Toll-free: 1-866-669-6227 |
Human Rights
| Governance Item | Value | Additional Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Human Rights Policy and Scope | See https://www.novagold.com/_resources/governance/Human-Rights-Policy.pdf | |
| Does the Company’s Human Rights or Other Formal Policy Cover Community Consultations and Indigenous Rights? | Yes | |
| Number of Grievances about Human Rights Filed, Addressed, and Resolved through Formal Grievance Mechanisms | 0 | |
| Incidents of Discrimination and Corrective Actions Taken | 0 | |
| Anti-Discrimination Policy | See page 102 in the Management Information Circular dated March 25, 2022 | |
| Operations and Suppliers at Significant Risk for Incidents of Child Labor | No. All operations and suppliers exist under U.S. or Canadian regulations and labor standards | |
| Does the Company’s Code of Vendor Conduct Address Child Labor? | No. We do not have a Code of Vendor Conduct; see Human Rights Policy | |
| Operations and Suppliers at Significant Risk for Incidents of Forced or Compulsory Labor | No. All operations and suppliers exist under U.S. or Canadian regulations and standards of practice | |
| Does the Company’s Code of Vendor Conduct Address Forced Labor? | No. We do not have a Code of Vendor Conduct; see Human Rights Policy | |
| Incidents of Violations Involving Rights of Indigenous Peoples | 0 | |
| Operations that have Been Subject to Human Rights Reviews or Impact Assessments | 0 | At Donlin Gold LLC, 85 employees have been trained in human rights. No grievances at either NOVAGOLD or Donlin Gold LLC were escalated to legal in 2021. |
| Employee Training on Human Rights Policies and Procedures | All employees affirm their commitment to the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics annually |
Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption
| Governance Item | Value | Additional Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption Policy | https://www.novagold.com/_resources/governance/Anti-Corruption-Anti-Bribery-Anti-Fraud-Policy-2020-03-05.pdf | |
| Highest Level of Executive Oversight for the Company’s Anti-Bribery or Anti-Corruption Program | Company Ethics Officer (Vice President & CFO) | |
| Number of Grievances about Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery, Addressed and Resolved Through Formal Grievance Mechanisms | 0 | |
| Operations Assessed for Risks Related to Corruption | Not Applicable | |
| Does the Company Provide Anti-Corruption Training to all Employees, Including Management? | All employees affirm their commitment to the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics annually | |
| Confirmed Incidents of Corruption and Actions Taken | 0 | |
| Payments to Governments | NG_ESTMA-Report-FY-2021.pdf (novagold.com) |
“Not Tracked” indicates that the measurement may be deemed Applicable but may be measured and reported in future.
“Not Applicable” indicates that the measurement may only be applied at the project or corporate level.