Minerals Council of Australia
Community and Social Development
Partnering for prosperous and vibrant regional communities
The minerals industry is privileged to operate in some of regional Australia’s most vibrant communities. Industry recognises that with this comes a responsibility and opportunity to work with host communities to support their aspirations and priorities.
Minerals companies often work with local residents, community groups, councils and other organisations to develop community partnership programs to support common goals. These programs are often based on formal social and economic impact assessments.
Common aspects of community partnership approaches include:
- Local employment programs to maximise local recruitment and encourage people to live and work in host communities
- Dedicated procurement programs to increase supply and procurement from local and regional businesses
- Partnering with local councils and community, sporting and other groups on initiatives that contribute to liveability and inclusion
- Supporting events and initiatives to develop and expand other industries, such as tourism and agriculture
- Participating in regional forums, such as the Hedland Collective, which bring together businesses, non-government organisations and governments to maximise collective impact
- Supporting local schools and education providers to build awareness of mining career opportunities, and encourage students to develop an interest in science, technology, engineering and maths. Examples include Rio Tinto’s partnerships with Scitech and the Western Australian Government and South Metropolitan TAFE.
Contributing to social progress
As a responsible partner in development, the minerals industry works with communities, civil society, governments and other groups to improve wellbeing through social development. Actions to contribute to social progress include:
- Working to build understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals in Australia. The SDGs are 17 interrelated global goals to improve quality of life for the world’s people by 2030
- Working responsibly to respect human rights
- Applying a gender lens to promote workforce equality
- Partnering with Traditional Owners and Indigenous communities to support economic development.
Acknowledgement of Country
The MCA acknowledges and pays its respects to past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website and linked publications may contain images or names of people who have since died.
Source: https://minerals.org.au/community-and-social-development
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