Title: A roadmap for implementing sustainability in mining enterprises

Authors: Andrea C. Ramage

Addresses: Sustainability Strategy & Planning, CH2M HILL, Inc., 1100 112th Avenue NE Suite 500, Bellevue, WA 98004, USA

Abstract: The mining industry recognises that sustainability issues define part of the new business reality, in which traditional business responses no longer fully satisfy the expectations of investors, communities, employees, and other stakeholders. Now, mining companies must implement sustainability programmes, at a minimum to appease stakeholders and keep pace with peers in the industry. Conversely, companies have the opportunity to leverage sustainability concepts and initiatives to drive innovation, establish leadership, improve stakeholder relations, and compete more effectively. However, while the new business reality is clear to most, the appropriate business response can be elusive and sustainability implementation can be challenging (Bertels, 2010). This paper presents a roadmap to successful sustainability implementation that charts a course for mining enterprises to effectively integrate sustainability into their business processes, operations, and projects, while avoiding common pitfalls in the process.

Keywords: sustainable development; decision making; sustainable management; sustainable mining; organisational change; sustainability implementation; mining industry; business integration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMME.2014.058920

International Journal of Mining and Mineral Engineering, 2014 Vol.5 No.1, pp.75 - 88

Published online: 04 Jun 2014 *

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