Mining and Corporate Social Responsibility Partnerships in South Africa

In the light of challenges associated with sustainable development in the developing world, the mining industry, as is the case with other industries, has been compelled to relook issues pertinent to sustainable development and the role it can play in it. This arises due to various reasons, including but not limited to globalisation and heightened stakeholder awareness and expectations. The outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in 2002 espoused calls for strengthened partnerships in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI). For mining, this call includes the need to contribute towards sustainable development throughout all the stages of mining (i.e. from prospecting and operations through to closure and post closure). These commitments are also evident in the International Council on Mining and Metals’ (ICMM) objective of “continual improvement in performance and contribution to sustainable development so as to enhance shareholder value” (www.icmm.com). In order for mines to fulfi l the socio-economic aspects of sustainability, they need to contribute fi rst and foremost towards improvement of the quality of life of the communities in which they operate. This paper provides background to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and associated partnerships and their implementation in South Africa, and proposes ways in which current practice could be improved in a manner that best supports local economic development and, ultimately, sustainable development.