Experienced practitioners helping you get it right, by providing risk-derived, context-driven solutions, tailored to your needs.

Christopher (Mac) Grace

Mac is a seasoned strategic mining security and human rights practitioner, with extensive experience acquired through long-term roles at Barrick and Newcrest. He is acknowledged for his worldwide expertise and his adept handling of intricate issues in demanding settings, capable of devising defensible and enduring business strategies and outcomes tailored to both the operational and strategic tiers. His success is furthered by his skill in forging interpersonal connections, communicating effectively, exerting influence, negotiating, and networking with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, encompassing various cross-cultural and indigenous/first nations groups.
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Globally, Mac has made significant contributions to several working groups, including those within the ICMM, World Gold Council's Artisanal Small Scale Mining Project, Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights and IFC. As part of the Voluntary Principles initiative, Mac served on the Steering Committee and Board for a three-year term from 2021 to 2023.


Geographically, Mac has participated in mining operations, exploration projects, and mergers and acquisitions across Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Côte d'Ivoire, Tanzania, Canada, the USA, New Zealand, India, Ecuador, Chile, Nicaragua, Mexico, and North Africa. Additionally, Mac has engaged in past transactions in China, South Korea, Japan, the Caribbean, and various countries in Southeast Asia.
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Mac holds a Master of Philosophy in Strategic Studies from Massey University, New Zealand, and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and International Relations from the University of New England, Australia.

"Key Achievements"

• Established new Group Security function and supporting security management system for Newcrest Mining, including policy, standards, implementation plans and verification tools:
  
• Achieved a company-wide visible Security ‘culture’, similar to the Safety approach, where sites and individuals were taking ownership and responsibility for security issues.
• Developed a risk-based modelling tool to determine and justify operational security requirements, specifically operational priorities, numbers required and necessary resources.
• Reinstated mandatory company-wide Gold Security compliance and achieved proven substantial reduction in gold related theft.
• Introduced a Theft Mitigation Strategy and achieved substantial reduction of general theft, including fuel, stores and equipment targeted thefts.
• Gained ‘Corporate’ membership of the Voluntary Principles (VPs) for Newcrest and developed an internal VPs Implementation Plan and Verification Processes:
• Active participant in the annual VP Plenaries.
• Developed an internal Security Code of Conduct and associated online training, aligned with the International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA)
• Developed VP aligned MoUs/Agreements with Public Security in Papua New Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire and Indonesia.
• Voluntary Principles Steering Committee and Board, Corporate Member representative 2021 – 2023:
• Assisted with developing global VPs support tools.
• Assisted with the introduction of the new membership process, incorporating an extended review/verification process.
• Assisted with gaining interim Corporate membership for companies operating in areas, which attracted greater scrutiny and/or criticism from the NGO and/or Goverment Pillars.
• Actively involved with discussions on the impact of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
• Investigated $M plus theft and fraud discoveries, alleged sexual assault/ harassment, alleged human rights abuse and code of conduct non-compliance:
• Exposed major theft and fraud occurrences, which led to employment terminations and, in some cases, civil prosecution and imprisonment.
• Part of the Barrick Control Group for the Porgera (PNG) Sexual Assault investigations and assisted with the implementation of the Porgera Remedy Framework.
• Gained 'Corporate' approval and implemented global roll-out of an 'online' Crisis Emergency Management Tool (EMQnet)
• One of the key coordinators for major Crisis Events, including:
  - Forced evacuations due to civil wars and political upheavals. (Africa, South America)
  - Hostage situation and the release of personnel, held against their will. (Indonesia) 
  - Hostile community protest and attacks. (Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, South America)
  - Violent internal industrial actions. (Indonesia)
  - Human rights abuse and sexual assaults. (Global)
• Introduced an integrated Security Situational Awareness system, utilising services and tools from Control Risks, Alert 24, Dataminr, and other local providers to actively monitor existing and emerging issues across all areas of company interest:
  - Developed an internal “Alert Escalation Tool” to monitor and respond to developing local situations and issues, in some cases averting a crisis event.
  
• Developed and implemented sexual assault and sexual harassment mitigation framework, including upgraded accommodation security requirements and immediate response capabilities.
• Part of the Newcrest Control Group for Sexual Assault and Harassment investigations and assisted with developing the Respect at Work Framework. including the 'Safe' Accommodation Security Standard and compliance reviews.
• Implemented ASM/IM strategy in Indonesia and achieved a major reduction in IM activities, including near complete reduction of the illegal use of cyanide and mercury in activities close to the operation.
• Contributed to developing World Gold Council support materials.
• Maintained compliance with Social Responsibility security related reporting requirements of the GRI, Voluntary Principles, ICMM, WGC Conflict Free Gold, LBMA and OECD.