Building a Future Where People and Elephants Thrive

The Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI) Foundation was honoured to be the beneficiary of this year’s silent auction at the Resourcing Tomorrow Gala Dinner in London. The gathering brought together leaders from across the mining sector and beyond, an audience whose influence and commitment to sustainability will shape the future of our shared planet.

Our Board Chair, Hon. Sharon Ikeazor, delivered a keynote address that captured the essence of the EPI’s mission: protecting Africa’s elephants while supporting human development and economic opportunity. Our CEO, John Scanlon AO, and Special Advisor for Corporate Engagement, Alexander Stonor, joined her in representing the Foundation during an evening filled with meaningful dialogue, generosity and new partnerships.

Chair of the EPI Foundation Board of Trustees, Hon. Sharon Ikeazor giving a speech at the gala dinner

Highlights from the Keynote Address by Hon. Sharon Ikeazor

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure for the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation to join you this evening. Further engagement with the mining sector is something we are eager to pursue, and there could be no better place than at Resourcing Tomorrow to make the right connections.

Over the past days, many of you have visited the EPI stand, and even those who we did not meet may have noticed our golden elephant! These encounters have been fruitful, and they reinforce why our work is so relevant to the room gathered here tonight. The EPI was formed a decade ago as Africa’s own response to the crisis of illegal ivory poaching. Tens of thousands of elephants were being killed each year. The short film we are about to show tells our story, an African-led organisation taking responsibility for our environmental challenges while fully recognising the imperative of economic growth and poverty alleviation.

Our world is changing rapidly. As we transition away from fossil fuels, demand for minerals grows. This shift must, however, support, not sacrifice, our biodiversity. Many of your companies operate in elephant-range states; elephants still roam freely across 37 African countries. Even if you do not work directly in these landscapes, you and your families surely value these majestic species and want to see them thrive. Suppose your company can demonstrate that elephants can flourish in areas where you operate. In that case, you will satisfy shareholders and children alike, while knowing you are contributing positively to nature and society.

At the EPI, we recognise the need for the commodities your sector provides and the wealth and opportunities they create. We stand with you in meeting the aspirations of Africa’s rapidly growing populations. But we ask that you also see elephants as symbols of coexistence. If mining can work for elephants, it can work for whole ecosystems—and for the many species and communities that depend on them. Although our original mission, to stop the illegal ivory trade, remains central, our work over the past five years has increasingly focused on human–elephant conflict. We strive to create space for both people and elephants as they compete for land and resources. We call this harmonious coexistence. Building it is demanding work, requiring trust, partnership, and long-term commitment. But its value is immeasurable.

By working together, we can transform mining from being perceived as exacerbating human–wildlife conflict to becoming a catalyst for sustainable coexistence. We invite you to support us in this vital mission and to continue engaging with our team. You’ll find a contact card on your table. We would be delighted to stay in touch.

A Shared Journey Toward a Sustainable Future

The gala dinner was more than a celebration; it was a recognition that safeguarding biodiversity requires shared responsibility and collaboration across sectors. The mining community’s engagement with the EPI exemplifies how industry, conservation, and communities can work together to protect Africa’s natural heritage while advancing sustainable development.

As we look ahead, the EPI Foundation remains committed to forging partnerships that honour both people and wildlife. Together, with the support of forward-thinking companies and allies, we can ensure elephants continue to roam Africa’s landscapes, living symbols of a future where coexistence is not only possible but thriving. Thank you to all who supported us at Resourcing Tomorrow. The journey continues, and we are proud to walk it with you.