Community

The Group strives to go beyond keeping a conflict-free relationship with surrounding communities by supporting community based organisations and interest groups in their many efforts aimed at improving quality of life.  

Sustainability of activities within the communities is continuously improved by promoting the participation of additional development agencies to implement local development plans. The Group’s CR policy ensures the creation of new jobs at a local level and appropriate training programmes with priority given to community members.

During 2009, the CR team focused on establishing an improved long-term relationship with surrounding communities through open communication and dialogue. In this sense, CR members have promoted a closer relationship between operations personnel within the mining units with members of the surrounding communities and local authorities.

Examples of this include guided visits of local leaders to the Group’s mining operations, Group employees participating in various forms of voluntary work, by talks given by Engineers to school children on environmental and other issues of community interest, sponsorship of and participation at local and regional fairs, and organisation of trout
fishing contests.

In order to emphasise the long-term nature of the relationship between the Group and the surrounding communities, five CR strategic objectives have been formulated:

  • Consolidate a culture of mutual respect and life together with communities;
  • Achieve and consolidate agreements that are mutually beneficial;
  • Promote improved and sustainable income generation for community inhabitants;
  • Contribute to the improvement of health, nutrition and education in surrounding communities of direct influence; and
  • Consolidate good relationships and co-ordinate activities with institutions for the promotion of sustainable development.

For further details, please visit our CSR Report 2009.