Minmetals Resources Limited 2011 Sustainability Report (PDF)

Community and regional developmentWe aim to increase the strength and effectiveness ofcommunities, improve people’s quality of life, and enablepeople to participate in decision-making to achievegreater long-term control over their lives. Our sociallicence to operate depends on us getting this right.We aim to support the development of our operations’host communities. We have adopted the ICMM definitionof community development:Community development is the process of increasing thestrength and effectiveness of communities, improvingpeople’s quality of life, and enabling people to participatein decision making to achieve greater long-term controlover their lives. Sustainable community developmentprograms are those that contribute to the long-termstrengthening of community viability … communitysustainability can be supported by mining practices thathelp convert one local asset, non-renewable naturalresource capital, into another local asset, sustainablehuman and social capital.We strive to achieve community development througheffective social investment, tailored to the needs of thecommunities around each of our sites.We recognise the need to move from philanthropicdonations towards using our financial investments tosupport sustainable growth initiatives. Our communityinvestment programs aim to build stronger relationshipswith our stakeholders and enable greater participation oflocal communities in their own development. However,against this we must ensure that we have a clear socialinvestment strategy supported by management systemsto prevent reactionary responses to stakeholder issues orcreate a dependency culture in our host communities.CASE STUDY: MMG Golden Grove launches an Education Engagement ProgramIn 2011, we launched an Education Engagement Program at Golden Grove designed to support and encouragemid-west Western Australian students in their educational pursuits. The program includes various scholarshipsand vocational training, site visits and community awards programs for Geraldton Secondary School students.MMG worked closely with the local high schools and tertiary institutions to develop the program criteria andidentify appropriate students to receive awards and participate in site visits.Testimony and feedback to date have been exceptionally positive, with many respondents believing the awards willgo a long way to encouraging students in their educational pursuits while also providing a better understandingof Golden Grove’s operations and future employment opportunities.CASE STUDY: Bringing electricity to 900 local families at SeponSepon has given US$300,000 towards the cost ofbringing electricity to more than 800 families ineight villages in the Vilabouly district.The power line construction project, a governmentinitiative, will cost US$1 million in total and is expectedto take 18 months to complete. At the official openingceremony for the project on 5 March 2011 in Namkhipvillage, the Minister of Planning and Investment H.E.Dr Sinlavong Khoutphaythoun thanked Sepon for itsfinancial contribution to the project. Speaking afterthe event, Sepon Director Mr Saman Aneka said thatin this case MMG was supporting infrastructuredevelopment in communities that are not directlyaffected by mining activities. “This is an expressionof the company’s commitment to supporting thedevelopment of Vilabouly, one of the 47 poorest districtsin the country,” he said. The eight villages to benefitfrom the new project all lie along the road betweenKateb and Phadang, some 20 to 30 kilometres fromcurrent mining operations.Opening the project.44