Wesizwe Platinum has identified a range of internal and external stakeholders that have a material interest in the Frischgewaagd-Ledig mine and the Group as a whole.
The Board has adopted a Stakeholder Engagement Policy which seeks to enhance the Company’s reputational capital with strategic stakeholders by identifying and responding to reasonable and material concerns. The Company does this in accordance with the internationally accepted AA1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standards.
Stakeholder engagement is effected with concern for the Group’s interests and business imperatives on value creation and is based on the values of transparency, honesty and mutual respect.
Within this context, Wesizwe Platinum has developed a community communication strategy and plan which aims to:
- Restore confidence in the Company as a trustworthy and reliable business partner, and in other community leadership structures;
- Address the community’s material concerns; and
- Streamline community engagement in preparation for mine development.
Formal stakeholder processes are in place for engagement with the community:
- A recently concluded community perception survey will inform engagement strategies and help to prioritise social investment
- A Stakeholder Engagement Forum launched in October 2011
- A Community Liaison Officer has been appointed
- A formal complaints and suggestions procedure – walk-in/phone-in service – is in place
- Open Day planned for October 2011
- A regular community newsletter shares information on the Company and on community issues.
In order to identify the material issues, manage operational risk and ensure a healthy relationship with key stakeholders, Wesizwe Platinum has implemented a formal complaints and suggestions management system. This was done to:
- Improve credibility through increased accountability;
- Develop trust and build good relations between the operation and its various stakeholders;
- Enhance reputation in the eyes of external stakeholders by demonstrating due process;
- Provide a standardised approach to identifying, resolving and reporting on complaints and suggestions;
- Document actions as evidence of how complaints were dealt with and as a reference for handling any similar issues in future; and
- Embed a risk monitoring process to ensure that operational risks are identified and managed, thus reducing the impact of continued non-compliance and facilitating improved performance.
To date, the most material issues identified through this process are employment and local procurement opportunities.
For a full list of stakeholders and material issues see the latest Annual Report.
|
