Environmental Health & Safety Committee Charter
1.0 PURPOSE
The Environmental, Health and Safety Committee
(the “Committee”) of the board of directors (the “Board”) of
Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation (the “Company”) acknowledges and
accepts responsibilities placed on directors of corporations with
respect to complying with legislation and regulations aimed to
protect the environment and the health and safety of its employees,
which are contained in laws, regulations and policies of Ontario,
Nunavut Territory and Canada.
The general mandate of the Committee is to
oversee the development and implementation of policies and
management systems of the Company relating to environmental and
health and safety issues in order to ensure compliance with
applicable laws and best management practices.
2.0 COMPOSITION
2.1 Members
The Committee will be comprised of at least two
(2) directors of the Company. The Board shall appoint the members of
the Committee annually.
2.2 Qualifications
At least one member of the Committee shall be an
“independent director” in accordance with applicable legal
requirements, including currently the requirements published by the
Canadian Securities Administrators. Corporate officers may also
serve on the Committee. All members should have skills and/or
experience, which are relevant to the mandate of the EHS Committee.
2.3 Chair
Unless a Chair is elected by the full Board, the
members of the Committee may designate a Chair by majority vote of
the full Committee membership.
2.4 Removal and Replacement
The Board may remove a member of the Committee at
any time in its sole discretion by resolution of the Board. The
Board may fill vacancies on the Committee by election from among the
Board or as otherwise deemed appropriate and in accordance with this
Charter. If, and whenever, a vacancy shall exist on the Committee,
the remaining members may exercise all its powers so long as a
quorum remains.
3.0 OPERATIONS
3.1 Meetings
The Committee will meet regularly at times
necessary to perform the duties described above in a timely manner,
but not less than two (2) times per year. Meetings may be held at
any time deemed appropriate by the Committee. These meetings may be
with representatives of appropriate members of management, all
either individually or collectively as may be required by the Chair
of the Committee.
3.2 Independent Meetings
The Committee members shall meet independently,
with only members of the Committee, following every meeting of the
Committee, or more frequently, if necessary.
3.3 Quorum
Quorum for the transaction of business at any
meeting of the Committee shall be a majority of the number of
members of the Committee.
3.4 Notice
Meetings of the Committee shall be held from time
to time and at such place as any member of the Committee shall
determine upon reasonable notice to each of its members which shall
not be less than twenty-four (24) hours. The notice period may be
waived by all members of the Committee. Each of the Chair of the
Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Operating Officer
shall be entitled to request that any member of the Committee call a
meeting.
3.5 Agenda
The Chair of the Committee, with the assistance
of the Corporate Secretary, shall develop and set the Committee’s
agenda, in consultation with other members of the Committee, the
Board and management. The agenda and information concerning the
business to be conducted at each Committee meeting shall be, to the
extent practical, communicated to members of the Committee
sufficiently in advance of each meeting to permit meaningful review.
3.6 Report to Board
The Committee shall report regularly to the
Board. The Chair of the Committee shall prepare and deliver the
report to the Board. The Committee’s report by the Chair may be a
verbal report delivered to the Board at a duly called Board meeting.
3.7 Assessment of Charter
The Committee shall review and reassess the
adequacy of this Charter annually and recommend any proposed changes
to the Board for approval.
4.0 RESPONSIBILITIES
In order to meet applicable legal requirements
and operate at a best practices level, the Committee is committed to
undertake the following responsibilities with respect to the
environment and the health and safety of its employees.
4.1 Communicate to the Company the importance
of developing: (i) a culture of environmental responsibility;
and (ii) an awareness of the importance of health and safety.
4.2 Ensure adequate resources are available
and systems are in place for management of the Company
(“Management”) to implement appropriate environmental, health
and safety programs and request and obtain from the Chief
Operating Officer periodic reports on such programs.
4.3 Establish policies, and provide oversight
on the development and implementation of management systems
relating to environmental, and health and safety matters.
4.4 Ensure Management has implemented an
Environmental, Health and Safety Policy and Framework, which
includes defined standards and objectives, monitor its
effectiveness and, from time to time, discuss with Management
any necessary improvements to such policy and its framework of
implementation.
4.5 Ensure that Management has implemented an
environmental, health and safety performance measurement system
that can be used to provide a continual measure of the
environmental and health and safety performance and continuous
improvement of the Company.
4.6 Utilize the environmental, health and
safety performance measurement system to monitor compliance with
legal requirements and internal targets, as well as communicate
a demonstrated commitment to the environment and employee health
and safety to shareholders and stakeholders, including all
members of the Company.
4.7 Ensure that Management has implemented an
environmental and health and safety compliance audit program,
request from the Chief Operating Officer, periodic status
reports on such program and provide feedback on necessary
improvement to the program.
4.8 Receive an annual report from Management
which includes any environmental, health and safety issues of a
material nature.
4.9 Report on its activities to the
shareholders annually in the Company’s annual report or
management information circular prepared by the Company for the
annual shareholders’ meeting or other disclosure documents or on
the Company’s website.
The foregoing list of duties is not intended to
be exhaustive, and the Committee may, in addition, perform such
other functions as may be necessary or appropriate for the
performance of its duties.
5.0 AUTHORITY
5.1 Delegation
The Committee has the power to delegate its
authority and duties to a subcommittee or individual members of the
Committee, as it deems appropriate, provided that the subcommittee
is comprised entirely of unrelated directors.
5.2 Advisors
The Committee has the authority to retain, and
determine the fees of, independent legal counsel, environmental,
occupational health and safety consultants and other advisors in its
sole discretion that it determines to be necessary to permit it to
carry out its duties.