De Beers has achieved a record safety performance, reporting a total recordable injury frequency rate (TRIFR) of 1.0 in 2025 across its global operations. The milestone marks the lowest safety incident rate in the company’s 135-year history.

According to De Beers head of policy and planning: safety, sustainable development and risk Tefo Molosiwa, the achievement reflects a deliberate shift towards empowering employees to take ownership of safety practices across the business.

“At De Beers, we have leaned into the experience, care and institutional knowledge in our teams by listening, learning and partnering rather than instructing,” Molosiwa says. “This approach has strengthened leadership and accountability in health and safety at every level of the organisation.”

The company explains that its safety strategy draws on the insights and experience of its frontline workforce, across operations in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Canada. Employees are encouraged to share their observations and ideas, ensuring that practical operational experience informs safety processes and improvements.

Molosiwa notes that employees – including truck drivers, electricians, maintenance teams and pit operators – are often recruited from communities located close to mining operations and that their deep local knowledge helps strengthen safety awareness and risk management.

De Beers says that, by actively involving frontline teams, it has created a working environment where safety is seen not only as a compliance requirement but as a shared responsibility embedded in daily operations. The company also emphasises collaboration among employees, contractors and leadership teams helps ensure that safety practices evolve alongside operational demands and changing mining conditions.

Molosiwa emphasised that the record TRIFR result reflects the impact of the company’s long-term commitment to strengthening its safety culture across global operations.

“Safety requires constant attention, learning and improvement. Our focus remains on building a culture where everyone takes responsibility for looking out for themselves and for each other,” he concludes.