Advisory company SSC Advisory will introduce its new integrated reporting tool, which is designed to assist clients in managing their environmental, social and governance (ESG) compliance performance, at the upcoming Joburg Indaba, due to be held on October 4 and 5 at the Inanda Club in Johannesburg.

The tool will also assist clients in tracking their suppliers’ ESG maturity.

“As a group, we are excited to introduce to the mining industry a new technology that we believe will revolutionise and transform the ESG space,” says SSC Advisory director and executive head Dr Godknows Mudimu.

The tool is designed to address unique challenges, often faced by mining companies including on data collection, analysis and reporting.

He says the technology will streamline compliance and serves to empower companies to track key sustainability metrics in real time, with ease, in a faster, cheaper and more efficient manner.

SSC Advisory looks forward to the tool complementing the services the company provides, which includes comprehensive advisory services such as corporate governance, social performance and environmental services.

Challenging Conversations
Mudimu points out that the South African mining industry remains critical to the economy and is one of the largest employers, according to data from Statistics South Africa and the Minerals Council South Africa. However, he notes that there has been a decline in production and employment figures across various minerals and metals.

He notes that there is an expectation that new mines entering the production phase will boost employment figures and overall monetary contributions to the economy.

Therefore, Mudimu looks forward to discussions and insights from mining industry leaders, as well as key stakeholders such as policy makers, at the Joburg Indaba.

He explains that the mining industry has its own unique challenges but is often forced to address broader issues facing the country such as inequality, poverty and unemployment.

“The decline and chaos of local authorities has resulted in a fundamental shift and mining companies have to assist in providing key services to the communities they operate in and to local municipalities,” he says.

Concurrently, the mining industry grapples with challenges such as geopolitical pressures, economic growth and commodity price fluctuations.

Mudimu explains that balancing these competing issues remain a challenge to the industry and will likely continue to be for the foreseeable future.

In addition, one of the biggest risks that continuously affects the industry is labour unrest and the general social unrest caused by discontented host communities. This is compounded by the industry experiencing uncertainty regarding policy direction by the government and addressing the needs of traditional leaders and local businesses.

Further, similar to other fossil-fuel dependent countries, South Africa has to address the just energy transition (JET), which will impact all mining companies regardless of the commodities they are involved in.

To address this, he says South Africa needs to take a carefully considered approach that capitalises on the minerals it possesses and its overall contribution to emissions.

Related to this, any policy direction must ensure that it promotes the interests of mineworkers and communities largely dependent on, and in proximity to, mining operations.

He explains that a concerted effect is required from relevant stakeholders to navigate a way forward for the mining industry, stating that the challenges impacting the mining industry encompass various interests, requiring decisive leadership from the industry, government and communities along with inclusive stakeholder participation and high levels of transparency in framing the way forward.

Mudimu emphasises that platforms like the Joburg Indaba are critical in bringing different voices together, facilitating efforts to redevelop the industry.

Given some of the work SSC Advisory is involved in with various mining companies, the company remains optimistic that the South African industry is entering a growth phase, he concludes.