REG - Rio Tinto - First Communities and Social Performance report

Rio TintoAnnouncement

30/09/2021 07:00

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RNS Number : 4639N  Rio Tinto PLC  30 September 2021

 30 September 2021

 

Rio Tinto publishes first Communities and Social Performance report

Rio Tinto has published its first report on progress in improving Communities
and Social Performance (CSP) practices, as the company works to rebuild trust
and relationships with Traditional Owners following the destruction of the
Juukan Gorge rock shelters in Western Australia.

 

As part of efforts to increase transparency in its approach to cultural
heritage protection, Rio Tinto has engaged with investors to develop reporting
that details the company's work to improve its CSP practices and outcomes.

 

The report details progress made to 30 July 2021 in areas such as Traditional
Owner partnerships and agreement modernisation in Western Australia; the
introduction of new CSP structures and practices across the company; improved
governance; and increasing social expertise within the business.

 

Importantly, it includes direct feedback from Traditional Owner groups
regarding commitments made by the company as part of the Board Review of
Cultural Heritage Management
(https://www.riotinto.com/en/news/releases/2020/Rio-Tinto-publishes-board-review-of-cultural-heritage-management)
 in August 2020.

 

Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm said "We are working hard to rebuild
trust and meaningful relationships with the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura
(PKKP) people and other Traditional Owners across Australia. We understand
this will take time and consistent effort, but our absolute focus is on
improving our engagement with Indigenous Peoples and host communities so that
we can better understand their priorities and concerns, minimise our impacts,
and responsibly manage cultural heritage.

 

"We thank those Traditional Owners who generously shared their feedback and
perspectives. While their insights confirm we have much more to do, feedback
like this is vital to shaping relationships that are respectful, genuine and
inclusive.

 

"We know that we cannot change the past. But we can continue to seek out,
listen to and respect different voices and perspectives, to ensure that in the
future, cultural heritage sites of significance are treated with the care they
deserve. And the changes we make should improve, over time, our engagement
with Indigenous and First Nations communities in every region where we operate
worldwide."

 

Some of the actions outlined in the report include:

 

·      Ongoing remediation work of the Juukan Gorge in consultation with
the PKKP people.

·      The commencement of agreement modernisation discussions with ten
Pilbara Traditional Owner groups and their representatives.

·      A detailed review of heritage sites that Rio Tinto manages in the
Pilbara to ensure there are no other sites of exceptional cultural
significance within the company's existing mine plans.

·      Building social performance capacity, capability and governance
across the company. There are now more than 300 Communities and Social
Performance professionals working on 60 sites in 35 countries, up from 250
professionals in 2020.

·      Important steps to grow Indigenous leadership to help better
understand host communities in the future. This includes a $50 million
investment to retain, attract and grow Indigenous professionals and leaders in
our Australian business.

·      Enhancing cultural awareness training, with all frontline staff
undertaking e-learning or face-to-face training with Indigenous Australians.
 

·      Progressing the establishment of an Australian Advisory Group to
help better manage policies and positions that are important to Indigenous
Australians and the business; and

·      A commitment to work with Traditional Owner groups to co-design
and implement leading practice cultural heritage management.

 

Rio Tinto will integrate further reporting into its full-year reporting suite,
complemented by additional disclosures where appropriate. Further consultation
with a broad range of investors and other stakeholders will continue to assist
in developing these disclosures.

 

The full report is available at https://www.riotinto.com/invest/reports
(https://www.riotinto.com/invest/reports) .

 

 

 

 

 

 Contacts  Please direct all enquiries to media.enquiries@riotinto.com

 

 Media Relations, UK         Media Relations, Australia

 Illtud Harri                Jonathan Rose

 M +44 7920 503 600          M +61 447 028 913

 David Outhwaite             Matt Chambers

 M +44 7787 597 493          M +61 433 525 739

 Media Relations, Americas   Jesse Riseborough

 Matthew Klar                M +61 436 653 412

 T +1 514 608 4429

                             Investor Relations, Australia

 Investor Relations, UK      Natalie Worley

 Menno Sanderse              M +61 409 210 462

 M: +44 7825 195 178

                             Amar Jambaa

 David Ovington              M +61 472 865 948

 M +44 7920 010 978

 Clare Peever

 M +44 7788 967 877

 Rio Tinto plc               Rio Tinto Limited

 6 St James's Square         Level 7, 360 Collins Street

London SW1Y 4AD

United Kingdom             Melbourne 3000

 

                           Australia
 T +44 20 7781 2000

Registered in England

 No. 719885                  T +61 3 9283 3333

                             Registered in Australia

                             ABN 96 004 458 404

 

This announcement is authorised for release to the market by Steve Allen, Rio
Tinto's Group Company Secretary.

 

riotinto.com

 

 

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