Making the difference
Why community communications matter
They help you drive your operations today and keep you alert to the responsibilities of tomorrow, through:
- Improved safety of staff
- Improved safety of operations
- Improved business outcomes
- Reduced social risk
- Better community relations
- Avoidance of conflict
- Improved social licence
- Improved ESG ratings
- Demonstrable ESG leadership
- Development of employees
- Reduction of disruption
- Mitigated risk of protest on stock price
- Improved investor relations
Leaving you better set to meet your responsibilities and organisational objectives
What the experts say
“What are people doing to get out of the situation they are in? They are the ones to bet on. It shows they are future looking. ESG then becomes the differentiator.”
Head of Sustainability, multinational precious metals mining company
“I think we’re just starting and the scale of the flows that Blackrock is seeing in terms of the money that’s coming in this direction [ESG] is just extraordinary.”
Evy Hambro, Managing Director, BlackRock
“There is not only an urgent need to act, but also a powerful business and investing case to do so.”
David Solomon, Goldman Sachs CEO
“The key is it’s got to be a relationship… it’s a genuine engagement.” [Too many mining executives neglect to engage with community stakeholders because they’re perceived as anti-mining] “They have to engage with those people for everyone’s benefit.”
Mark Bristow, Barrick Gold
Case study: Peru, October 2021
The event:
Local community blockades mine and will not cease until demands are met. The blockade impacts the Antapaccay copper mine which produces 2 per cent of global copper.
The problem:
Key to the local community complaints are a lack of engagement with the government and company. Economic opportunities and means to improve living standards appear to have been overlooked.
How it could have been avoided:
Early engagement at a community level would have identified social and environmental concerns. This would have allowed the company to instigate a programme of community communications demonstrating mitigating measures. Stakeholder engagement would have opened up two-way channels of communication, in turn avoiding a direct action scenario.