PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified major Rio Tinto has spent more than A$15.3-billion with Australian suppliers during 2022, of which A$8.6-billion was spent in Western Australia.
The miner this week reported that local expenditure was up 9% on the previous year, with more than 6 200 companies benefitting. As part of this spend, more than A$565-million was spent with Indigenous businesses across Australia, an increase of 40% on the year before.
“Supporting local businesses in the communities where we operate is a key priority for Rio Tinto,” Rio Australia CEO Kellie Parker said.
“We strive to employ local people, buy local products and engage local services – especially from Indigenous, small and regional businesses. We are working hard to improve our approach to Indigenous business development and engagement in Australia, and while there is still more work to do, last year we significantly increased our spend with Indigenous suppliers.
“We couldn’t do what we do without our local supplier partners and having good relationships with them helps us find better ways to provide the materials the world needs and innovate to decarbonise our operations.”
In Western Australia, Rio spent some A$618-million with Pilbara-based businesses, with a record A$5.4-million spent with Indigenous businesses in the state. Since 2018, Rio Tinto has increased its annual spend with suppliers in Western Australia by 73%.