Free State Business 2022

FOCUS
Harmony builds strong
community relationships
Covid-19 has highlighted the need for collective action.
Environmental, Social and (Corporate)
Governance, or ESG, has come to be one
of the most important indicators which big
firms and groups must factor into business
decisions in every part of the globe.
In both South Africa and Papua New Guinea
where Harmony is active, stakeholder relations
assume the utmost importance. Stakeholders can
include a diverse set of groups and entities, including:
• host communities
• suppliers and business partners
• national and local governments
• investors and shareholders
• industry peers
• local and international media.
Harmony’s Executive Director for Corporate
Affairs, Mashego Mashego, describes the
importance of these relationships. “Harmony
believes it is crucial to build trust and maintain
positive relationships with all its stakeholders,”
says Mashego.
The company’s approach is aimed at
partnering with stakeholders, creating a win-win
situation. Says Mashego, “Stakeholder engagement
is the principal mechanism
through which Harmony manages
and addresses a wide range of
expectations and perceptions.
Through proactive engagement,
we are able to identify, prioritise
and better manage any potential
material socio-economic risks and
opportunities.
“The Covid-19 pandemic
has highlighted the need for
collective action, which revealed
our interdependencies and also
strengthened our relationships
with one another. The quality of
the relationships with stakeholders and how well
these are managed affect our ability to deliver on
our strategy.
“Improving the quality of these relationships
protects our social licence to operate, supports the
success of our business strategy and creates shared
value for all our stakeholders,” Mashego concludes.
Community forums
The issues and concerns raised by communities
are addressed through the established community
forums. The forums are in constant engagement
with Harmony’s dedicated stakeholder engagement
managers and corporate affairs team.
These community forums consist of
representatives from municipalities, traditional
authorities and local business forums. Their purpose
is to share information with communities on
progress being made on project implementation,
to establish their needs and expectations, and to try
to manage their perceptions of what Harmony can
deliver.
“This initiative has had a largely positive impact
on our community stakeholder engagement,”
reports Mashego.
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