Anglo American: Enhancing social performance in different regions

Anglo American, in partnership with CISL and the University of Queensland’s Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining and BTS, has developed a unique programme specifically designed to build the leadership capabilities of senior managers across the Group to drive a sustainable future for the organisation and all their stakeholders.

Jon Samuel, Group Head of Responsible Business Partnerships at Anglo American said: “How we understand and respond to the expectations of host societies has become an ever-more critical competence for mining companies. The GameChangers Programme has played an important role in helping our senior management to respond to these challenges through an innovative combination of theory, case studies, site visits, simulated decision-making and group working.” The programme has recently been converted to a virtual delivery format both in response to Covid-19 and the importance of reducing emissions from travel for such events. A key insight from the programme has been the importance of stepping outside of the day job to engage with on-the-ground projects and stakeholder perspectives which address some of the most pressing and profound sustainability challenges.

Lindsay Hooper, then Director of Executive Education at CISL, said: “It has been fascinating to work with nearly 400 senior managers from a major mining group, helping them to engage effectively with the complex challenges that arise at the interface between, on the one side, their international mining operations and, on the other, surrounding communities, host governments and the natural environment. One of the most important aspects of the programme is its focus on strengthening the ability of participants to see these challenges through the eyes of their stakeholders and to explore what real leadership on sustainability would look like within their own context.”