Background
EMM understands that mining can have a strong impact on local communities. Whether this impact is seen as positive or negative by residents nearby is entirely dependent on the relationship and cooperation between EMM and the local populace. With this in mind, EMM has developed a strategy to create a level of trust and engagement with local residents and ensure that everyone is benefitting from the operation of the mine site.
Benefits of a strong relationship with the local community are endless. This is not only essential to ensure a successful ongoing environmental strategy, it is also an excellent way of ensuring ongoing business and operations ("A Guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining," 2011).
There are significant implications that have been noted worldwide when mining companies move into small communities. Such negative impacts have been listed by Oxfam as:
· Forcing people from their homes and land
· Causing divisions in communities over who benefits from the mine and who doesn’t
· Exposing them to harassment by mine or government security
("Impacts of mining," 2005)
EMM decided early in its implementation phase that such negative impacts on local communities would not be tolerated. The strategy was then devised with these core criteria in mind.
Benefits of a strong relationship with the local community are endless. This is not only essential to ensure a successful ongoing environmental strategy, it is also an excellent way of ensuring ongoing business and operations ("A Guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining," 2011).
There are significant implications that have been noted worldwide when mining companies move into small communities. Such negative impacts have been listed by Oxfam as:
· Forcing people from their homes and land
· Causing divisions in communities over who benefits from the mine and who doesn’t
· Exposing them to harassment by mine or government security
("Impacts of mining," 2005)
EMM decided early in its implementation phase that such negative impacts on local communities would not be tolerated. The strategy was then devised with these core criteria in mind.