A guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining

Websites: The internet is effective for providing general information about the project and providing
‘real time’ updates on activities and progress. Some stakeholders may prefer the option of engaging
through this technology or at least have the option of gaining information this way.
Workshops and focus groups: Workshops enable company personnel to work with a variety of
stakeholders to brainstorm solutions to issues raised by the community that may not have been
adequately considered in project design.
Research: Various forms of research, whether undertaken directly by the company or operation,
or commissioned from a third party, can provide valuable information about community needs and
perceptions about the facility. A range of research methods may be used, from surveys and focus
groups to interviews.
Scheduled personal visits: Face-to-face discussions are important for establishing personal rapport
with key individuals, such as fence line neighbours.
Open days and site visits: These activities are a valuable mechanism for keeping the community
and families of employees up-to-date about the operation and how it is being managed. Such events
also provide an opportunity to hear about community concerns and issues. Site visits for particular
stakeholder groups are a more focused and targeted option and can often serve to demystify what
happens at a project.
Staff membership on community groups and committees: Developing links between mining
operations and other community groups can help community understanding about the project, and also
help the project understand more about community priorities and sentiments about the operation.
Employee interaction: Employees are a valuable resource for understanding community concerns and
issues. They are also one of the most important ambassadors of the company and need to be engaged
with in a variety of ways, from toolbox talks to more structured employee forums.
Key steps for sustainable community development
Historically, the industry’s contribution to the community was often managed by
outside planners without the involvement of people in the local community. Planners,
who may have been mining company managers, consultants or government officials
from national or state/territory governments, tended to inform communities of what
programs were available for them and sought their agreement rather than their
participation. International leading practice in community development—including
World Bank requirements—calls for communities to be included in planning processes,
and encouraged and supported to participate to the extent of their interest and
capabilities. Involving community members, both women and men, in the actual
planning stages of development programs, will make success much more likely.
Development work is complex and fluid in nature, and can be approached in diverse
ways, but there are some logical steps.
Step 1: Dialogue
The first step starts with community engagement, preferably incorporating
elements from third and fourth generation engagement (see Table 3.2). Dialogue
for community development should not have an explicit agenda other than to
understand the needs and expectations of people. It should seek to establish trust
and confidence in the process. Without this, development work has no basis to
move forward. This first step of gaining understanding includes undertaking socioeconomic
baseline studies and social impact assessments, as discussed earlier.
A GUIDE TO LEADING PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN MINING 71