To be eligible for the awards, mining companies must be actively implementing the Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) initiative.

Mining Association of Canada says it’s a critical time for the country’s mining industry to seize growth opportunities.

Initiative seeks contributing to global efforts in preventing the use of child and forced labour in the mining supply chain, and to providing information needed to demonstrate the responsible sourcing of minerals and metals.

Several MAC members already formally participate in the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights Initiative (VPI) and several others apply the VPs for their operations abroad.

A total of 25 nominations were submitted by mining companies that participate in the TSM initiative.

Mining payments to federal and provincial government coffers totalled an estimated $71 billion from 2003 to 2012.

Companies are evaluated by Sustainalytics on their performance across a broad range of environmental, social and governance indicators.