Anglo American launched a Sustainability Strategy, outlining an innovative approach to the environment, community development, and driving greater trust and transparency across the mining industry, including specific goals to be delivered between now and 2030, the company said.
“Our role in today’s world is far greater than simply as a supplier of physical products,” said Mark Cutifani, CEO, Anglo American. “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 reimagining mining.”
Anglo American’s Sustainability Strategy is part of FutureSmart Mining, the company’s innovation-led approach to sustainable mining. This is a future in which all mines will be safer, more sustainable and efficient, and better harmonized with the needs of their host communities, the company said.
This strategy was developed following a consultation process with the employees and external stakeholders and is in alignment with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The goals are deliberately ambitious, Cutifani explained, and they will challenge Anglo to innovate and change, and the company is mobilizing its people and resources to deliver by 2030. The goals include:
• Creating five jobs off-site for every job on-site in 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.
