‘ESG' – environmental, social, governance — has become a familiar catch-all term and synonym for sustainability in mining. However, the E, S and G are discrete disciplines that require equally distinct solutions. In the contemporary world dominated by the net-zero challenge, the discussion around the S has been side-lined and the conversation addressing the G is an afterthought.
The mining sector stands at the intersection of critical social and governance challenges. As nations continue to rely on mineral resources for economic growth, the industry's operations have come under intense scrutiny due to their profound social impacts. Social issues in the mining sector encompass a range of concerns, from displacement of local communities and disruption of traditional livelihoods, to health hazards associated with mining operations and inadequate labour rights. Simultaneously, governance issues in the sector extend to regulatory inadequacies, transparency and corruption concerns, and the exploitation of resources for short-term economic gains without considering long-term sustainability.
The exploration of innovative approaches to address the social and governance issues in the mining sector is crucial to ensure responsible and sustainable resource extraction. These challenges need to find their way back to the top of the mining agenda.
