To be accountable and transparent we provide assurance - for ourselves and others - that Group policies are being implemented fully and consistently across our businesses and operations. Rio Tinto's occupational health, safety, environment and communities assurance programmes are vertically integrated from board level down to individual operations and facilities.

Our assurance process has four main components:

• A strong internal assurance process of audits, reviews and reporting;
• External assurance of the content of Rio Tinto's 2003 Social and environment review (S&E);
• External verification of the data included in the review; and
• Direct liaison by the individual businesses with their local communities regarding the content of their local social and environment reports.
• Environmental Resources Management (ERM) has provided external assurance and verification to enhance the transparency and accountability of Rio Tinto's social and environment performance, ERM's assurance statement.