By: Praveen Baijnath - Rand Refinery CEO

As the world reflects on the G20 in South Africa and other global challenges, it is fitting that we consider the integrity of global value chains — particularly the importance of ethical sourcing in precious metals. Gold must never be a conduit for illicit financial flows, conflict financing, or environmental harm. It must instead stand as a symbol of transparency, accountability, and shared prosperity.

Fighting illicit gold will require greater political will and a broadly accepted policy approach, but at Rand Refinery, we are proud to have advanced the above vision by fully conforming with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas and our continued London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) accreditation — a global mark of trust earned through the highest standards of responsible sourcing, human rights diligence, and anti-money-laundering controls.

But our journey does not stop at compliance. We are driving sustainability across every facet of our business — from solar-powered operations and reduced water intensity to community upliftment and traceable gold through our RandPure® initiative. These steps affirm that African-refined gold can meet the world’s most exacting ESG expectations while contributing to regional growth.

Recognising that the future of the industry lies in transparent, data-rich value chains, it is essential that the ability to track, authenticate and monitor gold throughout its lifecycle is enhanced.

Key enhancements include:

·        Modernised refinery systems and digital platforms

·        Integration of real-time monitoring and reporting tools

·        Improved transactional visibility from source to market

These advances will lay the foundation for the next era of digitally driven provenance and process optimisation.

Rand Refinery has accelerated efforts to reinforce full traceability across our supply chain. The introduction of enhanced due-diligence protocols, refined origin-tracking mechanisms, and improved data verification systems has ensured that every bar bearing the Rand Refinery mark is backed by credible, verifiable provenance.

We have championed advances that support:

·        Enhanced chain-of-custody controls

·        Stricter Know-Your-Customer (KYC) and responsible-sourcing frameworks

·        Investment in technologies that improve data integrity and transparent reporting

Through these efforts, the refinery strengthened its reputation as a global leader in ethical gold sourcing—trusted by markets, investors and industry regulators.

As the regulatory landscape intensified, we placed governance at the centre of Rand Refinery’s operating model. This meant continuous alignment with international best-practice standards, including OECD Due Diligence Guidance, the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), and World Gold Council Responsible Gold Mining Principles.

This commitment translated into:

·        Uninterrupted LBMA Good Delivery accreditation

·        Annual assurance and audit processes that meet and often exceed global benchmarks

·        Robust compliance architecture spanning sourcing, processing, logistics, and customer engagement

By embedding governance into every stage of the refinery’s operations, we ensure stability, reputational safety, and enduring global confidence.

Ethical sourcing has evolved from a compliance requirement into a defining value proposition for the refinery. We actively promote industry-wide adoption of responsible sourcing principles and spearheaded initiatives that strengthened:

·        Supplier compliance and training

·        Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) due-diligence mechanisms

·        Zero-tolerance policies for illicit flows, conflict gold, and harmful environmental practices

This helps reinforce Africa’s position as a region capable not only of producing gold, but of doing so responsibly—ensuring the continent’s resources contribute meaningfully to development.

Embedding Sustainability at the Heart of the Refinery

The rise of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles demanded new thinking and new commitments. We responded by embedding sustainability as a core business pillar, driving measurable progress across:

·        Carbon reduction initiatives and renewable-energy adoption

·        Water-saving programmes and operational efficiency improvements

·        Community development, skills training, and supplier-development initiatives

·        Safety improvements and a renewed culture of care

The need to navigate complex transitions, whether regulatory, economic, or geopolitical, is equally critical. These include:

·        Commodity-market volatility

·        Tightening global regulatory scrutiny

·        Shifts in downstream investor expectations

·        Pandemic-driven disruptions

·        Technological modernisation and workforce changes

The G20 moment is an opportunity to reinforce that ethical sourcing and sustainable beneficiation are not constraints on growth — they are catalysts for it. Rand Refinery remains committed to ensuring that Africa’s gold story is one of integrity, inclusion, and enduring value.