Community engagement Mining companies need to adjust to new

Shaping the mine of the future
www.pwc.com/ca/shaping-the-mine-of-the-future
Community engagement
Mining companies need to adjust to new
challenges today to be successful tomorrow
As the industry continues to suffer from low commodity
prices and an unstable global market, mining companies are
being forced to look for innovative ways to transform the
way they do business and survive the extended economic
downturn.
This global transformation has redefined the way mining
operates; and to respond to such unprecedented changes,
companies need to understand the challenges the industry is
currently facing and build strategies focused on overcoming
these challenges.
When looking for solutions to counter the severe downturn,
mining companies should not only centre their attention
on the economic new norm of low prices, but also begin to
develop innovative strategies across technology, community
engagement, talent and diversity, partnerships and
collaboration.
By executing a plan that empowers these functions to shape
their business model and solve the new challenges in the
industry, mining companies will be able to emerge from the
downturn, ready to build a mine for the future.
“It really takes sitting down and talking
about what’s important. Not what
you want, but what you need. It’s a
very different question, if you think
about it. […] It really comes down
to that shared purpose with respect
to sustainability of not only the
environment, but the economic benefit,
the community and the employees.”
Gordon Bogden
Corporate Director, Company name
on the global commodities outlook.
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Mining companies need to adjust to new challenges today to be successful tomorrow
Mining for the better
Mining plays a pivotal role in spurring economic growth and
development around the world. Today much of the world’s mining
activity takes place in areas populated by indigenous populations—
communities that want to make sure that they too benefit from
the resources being mined in their lands. Building effective
relationships with these communities is increasingly vital—by some
estimates, CA$20 billion of mining projects are currently stalled or
stopped because of community engagement issues.
A community-minded approach
Miners can no longer deal with governments alone in moving a
project beyond exploration. Today they need to connect with and
talk to the people on whose lands they intend to operate—not as
adversaries, but as partners. The goal? To make sure that when
development takes place, it benefits all and harms none. It’s
not just a question of cash payments or royalties: it means jobs
for local communities, investments in local infrastructure and
addressing the specific, unique concerns of each community.
“In this industry... we’re
stuck in the 70’s sometimes
in the way we think, the way
we’re looking at things. [We
need] to have the courage to
step out and look at other
industries as an example of
how things get done.”
Gordon Bogden
Corporate Director
Making it mutual
Miners that are committed to broad community engagement
soon discover that many of the world’s indigenous communities
aren’t opposed to development—they’re opposed to being left out
or sidelined as a project moves forward. And they also find that
by cultivating relationships face to face over time, they and local
communities can build a trusting, mutually beneficial partnership
with ease—and that gets shovels in the ground more quickly.
Mega mining minds speakers’
insights come to life through graphic
facilitation.
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Additional insights online
www.pwc.com/ca/shaping-the-mine-of-the-future
Contacts
Liam Fitzgerald
Nochane Rousseau
Mark Platt
National Mining Leader, Partner, Tax
Quebec Mining Leader
Partner, Assurance
B.C. Mining Leader
Partner, Assurance
514 205 5199
[email protected]
604 806 7093
[email protected]
416 869 2601
[email protected]
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