KEFI Gold and Copper PLC (AIM:KEFI, OTC:KFFLF) has appointed the former sustainability chief of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to its board as a non-executive director.
Dr Alistair Clark was managing director of the environment and sustainability department at the EBRD from 2001 until 2021, a period in which the bank undertook environmental and social appraisals of over 5,000 projects across a variety of sectors, including mining, and oversaw the development of policy frameworks for environmental and social issues.
Clark also led the development of the annual sustainability report which details the bank's environmental, social and governance (ESG) of its internal and investment activities and personally was involved in the management of projects to protect against reputational damage and the moves into new activities such as labour and human rights, climate change adaptation and gender rights.
KEFI said Clark "ensured that the Bank was at the forefront of climate and ESG issues and was associated with best market practice", noting he was recently awarded the 2022 lifetime achievement award by the International Association of Impact Assessment in recognition of his work at the EBRD, and also was made a Knight of the order of the White Rose by the president of Finland.
Hailing Clark's longstanding expertise in ESG, KEFI's executive chairman Harry Anagnostaras-Adams said: "It is timely for KEFI to expand its oversight capacities in this area, as we are about to embark on activities in Ethiopia which will have significant social and environmental impacts and we are committed to doing so in accordance with the highest international standards."