We are only as good as our people
Hecla is dedicated to investing in technology, training, systems, and programs to protect and support our people. Our commitment to local recruitment and talent management is essential to company performance and our social license to operate.
Hecla’s workforce has been the engine powering its success for over 130 years, which is why our policies and practices related to people have always been integrated into Hecla’s overall business strategy and objectives. The tracking and collecting of human capital management (HCM) data, including new hires, retention, and diversity of our workforce, is an important component of business management and planning. Learn who at our Company is responsible for HCM.
Total Workforce
Direct Workers
Contractors
* Estimated by converting total contractor hours worked to full-time equivalents (FTEs)
80% of our total workforce is local to our operations
79% of Casa Berardi’s workers are natives of the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region in Quebec
Hecla has 620 suppliers, including 350 from the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region in Quebec
Hecla seeks to work with suppliers who share its values and ethical standards, and all suppliers, vendors and third-party contractors are expected to act ethically and consistent with its Supplier Code of Conduct when conducting business on Hecla’s behalf. Our Supplier Code of Conduct, which was implemented in 2021, also states our commitment to adhering to standards of human rights and responsible workplace practices across our supply chain.
In 2021, we launched a mentoring program for new hires in various entry-level professional fields including accounting, finance, geology, engineering, and metallurgy. The new hires are paired with retired Hecla employees, or other professionals in the community, who serve as mentors to answer questions and counsel the new professionals on ways to grow professionally to be considered for leadership roles.
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion starts at the top with our Board of Directors and the Board’s Governance and Social Responsibility Committee. Our Board recognizes the benefits of having directors who bring diversity of gender, age, race, ethnicity, and cultural background. In 2017, we had no women on our Board and currently 33% of our directors are women.
In general, our workforce reflects the demographics of the communities near our mine sites. Our Greens Creek Mine in Alaska has been an outlier because we cannot fill all the open positions through the local population. While we target local Alaska residents, we also post job openings in the lower 48 states with the primary goal of attracting talented employees who are dedicated to our values of excellence and safety.
Though the mining industry has traditionally had a predominantly male workforce, Hecla seeks to create more opportunities for women in the Company. We participate in the Women in Mining organization, and women made up 10% of our total workforce in 2021 and 22% at the managerial level. We have implemented programs to foster the hiring and retention of women including the creation of networking opportunities with senior executives and Board members.
Hecla Quebec promotes inclusion and acceptance of diverse cultures. We developed a Cultural Awareness Training Program, working with a consultant, which was provided to all department heads in 2021.
We also hold company-wide diversity and anti-discrimination training.
We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities and complying with all applicable employment laws in the countries where we operate, as outlined in the “Employee Relations” section of our Code of Conduct.
We seek to hire people with relevant and current skills and qualifications for modern mining operations, and we give them continuous access to training and growth opportunities. Safety and health training requirements for our workforce are specified in Hecla’s Safety and Health Policy, as part of our Safety Health and Management System
In 2021, our employees and contractors received 48,981 hours of health and safety training.
In 2021, site employees company-wide received more than 1,500 hours of environmental training.
