Mark Cutifani
Photo by: Creamer Media
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) - Diversified mining company Anglo American has outlined an innovative approach to three major areas of sustainability – the environment, community development, and driving greater trust and transparency across the mining industry.
Its ambitious goals include:
- Creating five jobs off-site for every job on-site in its host communities;
- Working with government to ensure every school in host communities performs amongst the top 20% of state schools in the country;
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30%;
- Improving energy efficiency by 30%; and
- Reducing freshwater abstraction by 50% in water-scarce regions.
"Delivering on these commitments will transform the way Anglo American does business," said Anglo American CEO Mark Cutifani in a release to Creamer Media's Mining Weekly Online.
Presenting a different picture of the future of mining, the sustainability strategy commits to keeping people and the environment safe, supporting excellent education and using collaborative regional development to provide sustainable benefits for host communities.
"The financial benefits to our business by 2030 are expected to be significant, including from substantially reduced energy and water costs. At the same time, we expect our innovative approach and the technologies we are developing to open up new mineral resource opportunities for us over the medium term," Cutifani added.
The sustainability strategy acknowledges metals and minerals as precious ingredients that enable and celebrate many aspects of modern life.
"If Anglo American is to play its part in creating a sustainable future for the world and improving the lives of all of us who live here, then we must be prepared to challenge our business and ourselves, by re-imagining mining," he said.
Anglo American's sustainability strategy is part of FutureSmart Mining™, a blueprint for a safer, more sustainable and efficient business that is better harmonised with the needs of host communities.
This strategy, which has been developed following a robust consultation process, is in alignment with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals.