Sustainable Living Takes Root in Peñasquito
Bringing greener, cleaner eco-consciousness to Mexican communities
When Manuela Hernández Agüero was given the opportunity to take a trip to learn more about eco-technologies in her region, she was both excited and nervous.
“I was told that we would be going by plane and I just thought to myself, ‘Oh no, I’m really scared. I’ve never been on a plane’” she recalls. “Now that I’ve done it I realize how much I enjoyed it, especially since you see things that you could never have imagined.”
Hernández joined a group of 16 people invited by Goldcorp from communities surrounding Peñasquito mine to participate in a program to promote environmental awareness and sustainable living.
More than 30 eco-technologies relating to food, energy, housing and water were highlighted by the Grupo para Promover la Educación y el Desarrollo Sustentable or GRUPEDSAC (Sustainable Education and Development Promotion Group), of the Centro Educativo para el Desarrollo Rural (Educational Centre for Rural Development).
“Visitors learn how to develop these technologies in the communities where they live, which helps to improve their quality of life, and that they then share with their neighbours,” says Lilly Wolfensberger, Director of Special Projects for GRUPEDSAC.
As part of its vision of Together, Creating Sustainable Value, Goldcorp is a supporting partner of the eco program and many other responsibility initiatives. These efforts have been recognized: for seven consecutive years, Goldcorp Mexico has won top honours as an Empresa Socialmente Responsable – Socially Responsible Company Award. Awarded annually by Centro Mexicano para la Filantropía (Cemefi) and the Alianza por la Responsabilidad Social en México, the Empresa Socialmenta Responsable award is given each year to the company that demonstrates voluntary and public commitment to socially responsible management as part of their culture and business strategy.
It’s a commitment first made by Goldcorp President and CEO Chuck Jeannes during the inauguration of Peñasquito in 2010. Before then, the Mazapil Valley population was in serious decline as people moved away in search of work, education and opportunities. Jeannes promised citizens: “Providing jobs is just one of our goals. Helping families and communities become self-sufficient for the long term is our ultimate aim.”
Today, Peñasquito offers employees career training and recreational amenities. Community support has included upgrading and remodeling schools and equipping them with computers, as well as provide housing and training for teachers.
Hernández returned home energized and committed; “Even though I’m getting old, I want to keep learning everything that can be useful to improve the way of life and the environment within my community, until my last moment on earth." Way to go Manuela!
To learn more about this initiative, view the video.
This story is from Goldcorp’s Above Ground magazine, issue 10 Spring/Summer 2015 edition. To see other stories that demonstrate our vision of Together, Creating Sustainable Value please see http://issuu.com/goldcorpinc/docs/above_ground_issue_10.
