Community engagement

Strong community relations are just as important as strong business management when it comes to ensuring our success. We recognize that the health of our company is linked to the health of our neighbors, and we strive to form long term partnerships that strengthen the areas where we do business and help us maintain access to markets and resources.

Wherever we operate, we strive to understand the social, environmental and economic implications of our activities so we can improve benefits and reduce negative impacts, both for the local community and for the overall economy. We engage in regular outreach to community leaders and local governments, maintaining an open dialogue to explain our current operations and consult on plans for the future; agree on mutual objectives; and address any concerns stemming from our activities.

We survey communities around our major operations to better understand perceptions about our operations and practices, and to determine the issues that matter most to local residents. Findings from the surveys are shared with employees as well as community and government leaders, and helped ensure our engagement programs are aligned with community concerns. These comprehensive engagement and outreach efforts to our neighbors will continue in each of our communities for as long as Rio Tinto Minerals is present.