#SVML Sovereign Metals – HIGHLY EXPERIENCED SOCIAL SPECIALIST FIRM APPOINTED TO ASSIST IN ADVANCING KASIYA

·     African-based social specialist consultancy, SocialEssence has been appointed to lead social and community development programs for Sovereign in Malawi

·    SocialEssence joins Sovereign’s Owners Team and will design, implement, and manage several social and community initiatives which will feed into the DFS and permitting requirements

·    SocialEssence will build upon existing relationships cultivated over the last decade, between Sovereign and highly supportive local communities at Kasiya

·   SocialEssence has a strong and successful track record of implementing social responsibility programs across southern Africa, including at First Quantum Minerals’ Zambian operations Trident and Kansanshi, where over 7,000 farmers participate in a conservation farming program, which was initiated and led by SocialEssence’s current Livelihood Specialist.

·   The appointment aligns with the Company’s objective to develop a socially responsible and sustainable operation which will provide significant long term and sustainable benefits to local communities.

Sovereign Metals Limited (ASX:SVM; AIM:SVML) (the Company or Sovereign) is pleased to announce the appointment of SocialEssence (Pty) Ltd (SocialEssence), a specialist social performance consultancy, who will assist in the continued development of the Company’s stakeholder relations, social performance objectives and its Community and Social Responsibility (CSR) framework.  

Sovereign has engaged SocialEssence to design and execute social performance activities during the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) phase. Founder, Mr Garth Lappeman, has over 16 years of on the ground social performance planning and implementation experience in accordance with IFC Performance Standards and World Bank Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines. SocialEssence has been active in a number of countries working on projects in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Panama, Uganda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Northern Sudan, Tanzania, Uzbekistan, and Zambia.

Most notably, in Zambia, SocialEssence’s Director was involved from early exploration through to steady state production of First Quantum Minerals Ltd’s (First Quantum Minerals) Trident operations, which includes the Sentinel Copper Mine which is of similar scale to Sovereign’s Kasiya project. Mr Lappeman was responsible for implementing and managing social and community initiatives for First Quantum Minerals as it established its large-scale commercial operations.

Managing Director and CEO, Mr Frank Eagar commented: “The SocialEssence exemplary track record and implementation experience aligns with our objectives of establishing long lasting and sustainable community relationships well ahead of project implementation. The conservation farming program implemented by SocialEssence’s leaders in Zambia has stood the test of time and has over 7,000 participating farmers. We will continue to build out our owner’s team and capabilities while we work through Kasiya’s optimisation with Rio Tinto.”

SocialEssence will:

·      prepare Kasiya’s Social Impact Assessment and Management Plan for the DFS and permitting;

·  design, implement and manage social performance activities including stakeholder engagement, development of key relationships;

·     prove the feasibility of critical social performance measures (including early local content, and piloting of livelihood restoration programs, and piloting of rehabilitation activities to restore land for agricultural use); and

·      align with the Company’s ESG Framework.

ENQUIRIES