TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Sep 12, 2017) -

All amounts expressed in U.S. dollars

Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:ABX)(TSX:ABX) (Barrick or the "Company") today announced that the Company has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the 10th consecutive year. The Company was also included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index for the 11th consecutive year.

"We are honored to be included in this highly-respected index," said Barrick President Kelvin Dushnisky. "Barrick is committed to developing partnerships with host governments and communities that transform their resources into mutual prosperity. Our inclusion on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index is a strong reflection of our determination to live up to this commitment."

Each year, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index independently evaluates more than 2,500 companies using rigorous sustainability criteria to identify the top 10 percent of performers. Companies are evaluated on a range of sustainability metrics, including governance, social performance, environment, and economic contributions-taking into account both industry-specific trends, as well as sustainability issues facing multiple sectors.

Highlights from our sustainability performance last year include:

  • Investing in local economies
    In 2016, Barrick contributed $5.3 billion to our host countries and communities in the form of wages and benefits, royalties and taxes, purchases of goods and services, and community investments. This includes more than $220 million in purchases from local businesses in the communities where we operate.
  • Training for a digital world
    Earlier this year, we created a partnership with Cisco's Networking Academy and Great Basin College to offer digital skills training to employees and members of the Northern Nevada community, including veterans and Western Shoshone tribes, free of charge. We plan to expand the program to all countries where we operate.
  • Safeguarding water resources
    Barrick created the position of Vice President, Water Management and developed a Water Management Framework to facilitate site-based water stewardship that brings value to the Company and helps protect our people, our partners, and the environment.
  • Improving on safety in the workplace
    The Company has achieved an 86 percent improvement in its total reportable injury frequency rate(1), from 2.79 in 2005 to 0.40 in 2016, continuing an 11-year trend of improvement.
  • Creating employment
    More than 97 percent of our 11,000-plus workforce comes from the countries where we work, and just over half are from the local communities where we operate.

Barrick's 2016 Responsibility Report is available at www.barrick.com/responsibility. Learn more about modern, responsible mining at barrickbeyondborders.com.

(1) Total reportable incident frequency rate (TRIFR) is a ratio calculated as follows: number of reportable injuries x 200,000 hours divided by the total number of hours worked. Reportable injuries include fatalities, lost time injuries, restricted duty injuries, and medically treated injuries.