The Governance, Nominating and Compensation (“GNC”) Committee establishes the company’s governance principles and practices and reviews corporate policies, including our Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Policy. Rife employees and consultants are required to adhere to Freehold’s Code of Conduct and are expected to conduct business with integrity and high ethical standards. The GNC Committee monitors the performance of the Manager on an ongoing basis.
Corporate Responsibility
Environmental and Social
Freehold does not have any employees. Under a Management Agreement, Freehold’s assets are managed by the employees of Rife Resources Ltd. (Rife). Rife is a private oil and gas company that has been in operation for over thirty years.
GOVERNANCE AND ETHICS
ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE
Freehold is committed to supporting responsible development of our asset base, including current assets and future additions to its portfolio. This includes oil and gas, potash, alternative minerals, and alternative energy sources by incorporating environmental, social, and governance (combined as “ESG“) best practices into our business strategies to ensure a resilient, sustainable, and successful business model. Read more in our ESG Policy and 2023 ESG Report.
ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND SAFETY
Most of Freehold’s assets are royalties operated by third parties. While the environmental liability, health and safety and other risks arising out of these operations are not typically direct risks for Freehold, as a royalty company, our business model is dependent on the industry operating in a responsible manner. There are thirty companies that account for approximately 80% of Freehold’s oil and gas royalty revenue stream. Many of these companies are large Canadian producers that are members of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and align their operations with industry best practices.
SUSTAINABILITY
Freehold has a profitable niche of owning oil and gas royalties, including certain mineral titles that are held in perpetuity. The foundation of Freehold’s successful business model is a commitment to long-term sustainability. As our assets are mainly royalty assets, we have low capital requirements. When pursuing acquisitions, we focus on properties that can offer an attractive rate of return on our investment.
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
Freehold targets multi-year financial support partnerships with organizations that align with employees’ interests and benefit the community as a whole. We take pride in doubling any charitable donations made by an employee (to an annual maximum of one thousand dollars) and providing financial support for charitable organizations our employees volunteer with to help democratize decisions pertaining to charitable giving and to help further support our engaged workforce.
To help facilitate this financial support, Freehold has established a Charitable Giving Committee with the objective of supporting: (a) organizations that are working to address the spectrum of society’s most fundamental needs: shelter, food, education, and health; (b) the communities in which we do business; and (c) the charitable causes our employees care about.
In 2023 Freehold donated approximately $280,000 as well as contributed employee volunteer hours to support organizations that address the needs of families in the communities in which we do business. Our efforts were focused on community and social services that promote healthy communities and improve opportunities for all. Our long-standing partnerships with philanthropic organizations and support for local programs are an essential component of our culture of engaging and giving back to our local communities.