United Nations SDGs

No Poverty

Solaris contributes to reducing the proportion of men, women and children living in poverty in its areas of influence. This implies ensuring equal rights to economic resources and access to basic services as well as to ownership and control over land and other forms of property.

Warintza Project Indicator

Solaris employs over 420 people from the Shuar Centres of Warints and Yawi and neighboring communities.

Through an IBA signed in September 2020 between Solaris and the Shuar Centres of Warints and Yawi, the Company provides financial resources, facilitates partnerships and community development projects to directly reduce poverty and promote essential services such as education, health, and social protection. Partnerships include the public sector, non-government, academic and private sector entities. (Learn more here).

Solaris recognizes ancestral territories of the Indigenous communities in its area of influence; Solaris contributes to securing tenure rights to land, through mining easement payments to local landowners.

Zero Hunger

Solaris contributes to ensuring access by all in its area of influence, who are impoverished and in vulnerable situations, to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round. This also contributes to ending malnutrition through employment and the promotion of agricultural production.

Warintza Project Indicator

Throughout COVID-19, Solaris provides humanitarian relief efforts in the form of food kits and basic necessities to the communities in the area of influence of the Warintza Project, as well as neighboring communities.

Solaris contributes to promoting activities related to agricultural livestock production. 

Solaris contributes to facilitating partnerships to strengthen knowledge, financial services and opportunities for productive food systems for the communities in the area of influence of the Warintza Project.

Good Health and Well-Being

Solaris contributes to ensuring essential healthcare services, access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable medicines, strengthening the prevention of substance abuse, and mitigating against illnesses from hazardous chemical and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.

Warintza Project Indicator

Solaris facilitates partnerships specific to strengthening essential health care services including the Ecuadorian ministry of health, among others.

Solaris financially contributes to carry out regular health campaigns among its workers and communities’ members, including dental health and regular medical checkups, as well as financing medical equipment and infrastructure necessary.

Solaris has attended numerous emergency calls of remote communities in the area of influence of the Warintza Project, facilitating helicopter transportation to local health facilities.

At the height of COVID-19, Solaris carried out a baseline campaign to determine the prevalence of Covid-19 in the communities of Warints and Yawi.

Solaris carries out regular occupational health campaigns about substance abuse prevention amongst the workers in its Warintza Project.

Solaris abides by the highest environmental standards in order to ensure no contamination and pollution to local communities (air, water, soil).

Solaris carries out strict COVID-19 protocols to mitigate any potential transmission to the communities in its are of influence.

Quality Educator

Solaris contributes to ensuring that all women, men and children complete equitable and quality primary, secondary and post-secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.

Warintza Project Indicator

Solaris has signed an agreement with the Educational Unit of the Cordillera del Condor, contributing with infrastructure development and financing for educational supplies as well as capacity training for teachers.

Solaris has signed an agreement with the Polytechnic School of Chimborazo- Macas and facilitates partnerships with academic institutions to promote post-secondary education amongst local community members as well as adult skills training.

Solaris provides scholarships to local community members, financing their post-secondary education. 

Solaris provides internships for students to work on the Warintza Project exploration activities. 

Gender Equality

Solaris contributes to ensuring women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels for decision making in political, economic, and public life.

Warintza Project Indicator

Solaris is dedicated to female empowerment through a program focused on the Women of Warints and Yawi.

Solaris facilitates partnerships and financial cooperation to carry out specific development projects for local women according to their interests and needs.

Solaris’s Strategic Alliance Board involves a female leader focused on overseeing female representation in the Warintza project’s activities.

Solaris provides technical training on the use of information and communications technology to female community relations workers.

Clean Water and Sanitation

Solaris contributes to achieving universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water and protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems as well as implementing integrated water resources management.

Warintza Project Indicator

Solaris participates in developing projects for potable water for the community members of the Shuar Centres of Warints and Yawi.

Solaris contributes to protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems through practice of the highest standards in compliance with water management related to its exploration project activities.

Solaris provides infrastructure and financial resources to ensure adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for the community members of the Shuar Centres of Warints and Yawi.

Affordable and Clean Energy

Solaris contributes to ensuring access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services.

Warintza Project Indicator

Solaris is currently working on a project to improve the current powerlines for the communities of the Shuar Centres of Warints and Yawi and ensure reliable energy services.

Decent Work and Economic Growth

Solaris contributes to sustaining per capital economic growth and achieving higher levels of economic productivity in its areas of influence by achieving full and productive employment and decent work and promoting decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation. 

Warintza Project Indicator

Solaris employs over 420 people from the Shuar Centres of Warints and Yawi and neighboring communities.

Solaris has signed a cooperation agreement with the AEI- Ecuadorian Alliance for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in March 2021, to empower the community members of Warints and Yawi, support their entrepreneurial spirit and contribute with capacity building and skills training related to developing their enterprises. One example is empowering the local women and their artisanal jewelry and craftsmanship.

Solaris is committed to carrying out capacity building initiatives to enhance skills and education amongst the community members in the area of influence of the Warintza Project.

Solaris facilitates the entry of partnerships to the local territory, specifically promoting education and personal growth opportunities for the Shuar community members.

Solaris’ has a policy on human rights, that states its commitment to respecting the human rights of its workforce, affected communities and all those people with whom it interacts. A separate supply chain policy also states a code of conduct and ethics for suppliers on human rights issues/

Solaris’s occupational health and safety department carries our regular capacity training on issues related to labour rights and relevant safe and secure working conditions. 

Solaris facilitates access to banks so that community members have access to banking, insurance, and financial services in the are of influence of the Warintza Project. Specifically, it has done so in association with Banco Pichincha and Cooperativa Jardin Azuayo.

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Solaris contributes to developing quality, reliable, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure to support economic development and human well-being in its areas of influence, including facilitating infrastructure development and access to information and communication technology.

Warintza Project Indicator

Solaris has financially contributed to providing resources for the development of an ecological road between Warints and Yawi.

Solaris facilitates partnerships through which to carry out development projects of interest to the communities in the area of influence of the Warintza Project.  

Solaris has financed the construction of community infrastructure.

Solaris provides the community with Internet infrastructure and supports communications coverage.

Reduced Inequalities

Solaris contributes to empowering and promoting the social, economic, and political inclusion of all and ensuing equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome. This involves ensuring enhanced representation and voice for the community of members in its areas of influence. Solaris contributes to empowering and promoting the social, economic, and

Warintza Project Indicator

Through the Strategic Alliance, Solaris directly contributes to empowering the community members of the Shuar Centres of Warints and Yawi in local politics and decision making regarding all activities in the Warintza Project.

Solaris carries out a biweekly meeting with the Board representatives of the Strategic Alliance, enhancing their representation and voice in all matters related to the Warintza Project.

Solaris participates in facilitating cooperation funds allocated from government entities (embassies), private sector and academic, encouraging financial assistance to development projects in the area of influence of the Warintza Project.

Sustainable Cities and Communities

Solaris contributes to enhancing inclusive urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated, and sustainable human settlement planning and management and supports positive economic, social, and environmental links between rural areas by strengthening development planning in its area of influence.

Warintza Project Indicator

Solaris contributes financially to infrastructure development for the Shuar Centres of Warints and Yawi.

Solaris has contributed to building an ecological road between Warints and Yawi and participates in maintaining trails and roads, in the are of influence of the Warintza Project.

Solaris contributes with financial resources and human capital, actively promoting participatory community planning processes with the Shuar Centres of Warints and Yawi.

Solaris provides technical skills training, which enhances community member capacity to engage in planning activities.

Responsible Consumption and Production

Solaris contributes to achieving the environmentally sound management of waste though their life cycle for all its exploration project activities, contributes to reducing waste generation though prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse and has integrated sustainability information in its reporting cycle.

Warintza Project Indicator

Solaris upholds the highest environment standards and complies with national legislation on environmental management and incorporates sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources in its exploration planning.

Solaris’ activities are paired with a specific waste management program to ensure sound management of all waste produced through exploration activities.

Solaris incorporates sustainability planning in all its community relations activities to ensure long term capacity building and sustainable results.

To date, Solaris has issued a Sustainability bulletin and is committed to achieving sustainable development and communicates on progress. 

Solaris carries out regular environmental education campaigns (Warintza Limpia), ensuring people in the area of influence of the Warintza Project have relevant information about lifestyles in harmony with nature.

Life on Land

Solaris contributes to promoting the implementation of sustainable management of forests and integrates ecosystem and biodiversity values into its project planning.

Warintza Project Indicator

Solaris informs the community members in the area of influence of the Warintza Project of all environmental related activities carried out to mitigate environmental impacts from exploration activities.

Solaris prioritizes financial spending to make sure that the Warintza Project’s activities fully comply with environmental laws and environmental stewardship concepts. This involves environmental management, ‘liberation’ of all drill platforms, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of biodiversity in the area (flora and fauna).

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Solaris contributes to developing effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels, ensuring responsive, inclusive, participatory, and representative decision-making at all levels, and enforcing non-discrimination laws and policies for sustainable development.

Warintza Project Indicator

Solaris has a corporate policy on anti-corruption, and human rights, mandatory for its immediate employees, subsidiaries, and suppliers.

Solaris carries out capacity building to all members of the Shuar Centres of Warints and Yawi; and specifically enhances the development of effective, accountable, and transparent institutions through the Strategic Alliance. The Board members of Warints and Yawi, and company staff meet on a biweekly basis to discuss the Warintza Project’s progress and activities. This is a dialogue session that contributes to empowering the Shuar members, promotes democracy and embodies participatory decision making at all levels.

Solaris participated in the assessment of a Government-led Pilot Project in 2019 to Promote Transparent Dialogue for Responsible Mining in Ecuador, in-line with the principles of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent in 2019. Link to Video.

Partnerships for the Goals

Solaris contributes to enhancing the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources, to support the achievement of the SDGs.

Warintza Project Indicator

Solaris mobilizes financial resources to sustainable community development, agreed upon in an IBA with the Shuar Centres of Warints and Yawi.

Solaris promotes knowledge sharing through field visit initiatives and travel for the Shuar community members. In 2019, the Board of the Strategic alliance visited Lima, Peru, specifically to participate in an event at the School of Mining Engineers; In 2020, the Board of the Strategic alliance visited Toronto, Canada and assisted PDAC.

Solaris has developed numerous partnerships to advance sustainable development for the benefit of the communities in the area of influence of the Warintza Project. Such partnerships contribute to skills training, capacity building various educational areas, all of which support their development at an individual and community level.

Solaris endorses the Principles and Criteria of The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and joined as a supporting company in Ecuador in February 2021.

Solaris joined the UN Global Compact – Ecuador in February 2021 and is committed to incorporating the universally accepted sustainability principles and take actions that support broader UN goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals.

Other efforts include alignment with LPRM framework developed by Mining Shared Value; Technical Cooperation Agreement in February 2021 with the Association of Mining Engineers of Ecuador (AIME); Technical Cooperation Agreement with AEI in March 2021; Technical Cooperation Agreement with Escuela Politécnica de Chimborazo, Sede Macas (ESPOCH) (Polytechnic School of Chimborazo), and more (learn more about our partnerships).

Solaris carried out a population survey and social impact assessment for the Shuar communities of Warints and Yawi providing, for the very first-time, reliable data about the communities’ characteristics.