Goldcorp - Supporter of Dress For Success Vancouver, sponsor of Impact 360 and creator of Casino Nights, a fund raising event for women in mining benefitting DFS Vancouver.
How is Goldcorp involved with Dress for Success Vancouver?
Goldcorp has been involved with DFS Vancouver since 2007.
Originally, there was a core group of women who were really interested in the organization. To be able to support an organization focused on getting women into the workforce is a great alignment with one of our core company values of empowering others.
The other genesis of the involvement stemmed from the fact that women are typically under-represented in mining. The idea of getting women back into the workforce and finding a successful career was really interesting. Of course, we believe any movement toward economic independence for women is positive, and it would be especially great if some of those opportunities for women were in the mining sector.
At the end of 2014, a group of women at Goldcorp asked ‘how can we take the amount of money we’re already donating to DFS Vancouver and create a multiplier effect?”
That’s how the Casino Nights event was born. We wanted to get our network and people in the industry involved and raise awareness of the work that DFS Vancouver is doing. So, we used this event as a catalyst to generate more revenue, money, and awareness for DFS Vancouver in a fun, relaxed atmosphere that was ideal for networking.
What makes Goldcorp so passionate about the organization?
The unique thing about Goldcorp is our core belief in creating sustainable value. We believe in creating lasting economic and social value in all of the communities in which we live and work, by supporting the areas of education, health, community development, and arts & culture.
We formalized that commitment by creating a donation policy that commits 1% of our annual profits to go towards communities. DFS Vancouver is just one of the organizations we partner with in our community investment program. We have been working with marginalized communities for a long time.
What are some other initiatives that Goldcorp has supported?
In Vancouver, over the years, we’ve donated $20 million to various programs in the DTES through Street to Home, the SFU Goldcorp Center for the Art and in support of mental health and addiction initiatives through VGH and St, Paul’s Hospital. So, DFS Vancouver is well aligned with our philosophy of creating sustainable value and benefitting marginalized people who really need the help.
Are there any events that you look forward to the most?
We’ve been a part of the Impact Gala as part of our commitment to DFS Vancouver. That stemmed our interest in doing Casino Night this year because we asked “how can we take what we already put into that event to amplify it and make a bigger impact?”
Casino Night brought in over $40,000 which is more than our sponsorship for the Impact Gala. It introduced DFS Vancouver to people that weren’t aware of the work that they’re doing. And we wanted to position this as a great event bringing women together in the mining industry. Mission accomplished on all 3 objectives.
What was the lasting impact of Casino Night?
It was a great event from a networking perspective, a lot of people in the industry that had never met before and for some, it was really eye-opening that there are so many fantastic women engaged in mining in the city. It was also a lot of fun!
It sold out in just 2.5 weeks and we’re excited to do it again! It was a great success in its inaugural year and we hope it will grow over time.
What’s the most rewarding part of the work you’re doing?
Just knowing that you’re making a positive impact on people’s lives, that makes the work tangible and very rewarding. One of the most empowering things in life is the freedom to make choices, the ability to help someone have greater economic stability for their future, and the ability to explore opportunities. It’s nice to feel like you’re doing well at doing good when you hear about some of the success stories and the way women’s lives are changed through the program.
Is there anything else the community would be interested to hear about Goldcorp?
I think people would be surprised to hear how much we contribute to the communities where we operate, and not just in the form of jobs or taxes and royalties. We’re not a consumer product company that does social marketing to attract customers. We do this because it’s the right thing to do.
