The values and principles implicit in the Global Compact align with and support those that guide the corporate policies and practices of Rio Tinto Group businesses to contribute to economic, social and environmental progress as well as to institutional and technological advances.

Membership of the Global Compact provides a meeting ground for debate, sharing of views and dissemination of best practice with corporate peers. In alignment with the Global Compact, Rio Tinto's Human rights guidance provides direction to our managers on implementing the Rio Tinto human rights policy.

The Group actively implements principles common to those of the Global Compact by making progress towards commitments that include:

• increasing the number and quality of targets to improve health, safety and environment performance;
• implementing programmes to improve the safety culture of the Group to meet the goal of zero injuries;
• increasing the focus on occupational health to meet the goal of eliminating occupational illness;
• developing tools to improve best practices including guidelines for environment and social impact assessment and risk assessment;
• improving understanding and communication of potential risks and benefits posed by metal and mineral products on the environment; and
• continuing to improve internal assurance mechanisms including the auditing and reporting process.