Introduction

Corporate Responsibility (CR) is an integral part of GMS's business strategy. To be a successful business in the short, medium and long term requires considered management of risks and opportunities that may be termed 'non-financial'. These can have a material effect on our business, and as such we choose to report on GMS's approach to, and performance in, these areas in our annual report and accounts.

Some aspects of our approach to CR can have immediate and highly tangible financial impacts, such as our business conduct practices. Our environmental performance is more difficult to tie to our bottom line, but this area requires careful management as it can affect our licence to operate in locations where we have mining and processing operations. We are proud of our reputation as a responsible business and this helps us in attracting and retaining the best people, as does our focus on providing a positive and healthy working environment.

In our reporting, as with all aspects of our business, we work to improve year-on-year. We welcome feedback from all our stakeholders and seek to report on what is most material to them.

GMS’s Board believes that being a good corporate citizen is good for business. This sentiment is reflected in our brand values: