We work closely with individuals, governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs),
and business partners to meet society’s needs today and plan for the needs of tomorrow.
Our stakeholders have varying levels of interest in
and degrees of influence over issues related to sustainability. We engage locally through
community panels and boards, regular meetings, workshops, and presentations. Some
of these exchanges are part of ongoing agreements and partnerships; others are new
opportunities to explore key issues or concerns. Our Sustainable Development department
also responds to a range of inquiries received via mail, the internet, telephone and face-toface
meetings.
Communities are the focal point for external engagement activities since the success of
our operations heavily depends on an understanding of the social environment in which
we operate. Implementation of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment process
prior to new projects and expansions helps identify and prioritize local stakeholders.
Communities are dynamic and through periodic monitoring we identify changes and update
our community engagement mechanisms, agreements, and partnerships. We ensure
that communities, whether urban or rural, are kept apprised of our activities and have
access to a range of methods to communicate with Company representatives. To improve
this process, we have introduced company-wide guidance for managing community
grievances, and we are rolling out a grievance recording and tracking system at all of our
operating sites.
Working with diverse groups is an important component of our sustainability programs
as we evaluate, address, and report on a range of stakeholder interests and concerns.
For example, we regularly meet with socially responsible investors and analysts on
topics ranging from climate change to human rights. These meetings often include
direct participation of our senior management. Through these engagements, we receive
constructive comments on our programs and valuable feedback on draft policies and
guidance documents such as with our Human Rights Policy updated in 2009.
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