Economic contributions
Our operations can provide a strong base for the economic growth of communities, regions and countries. We focus on ensuring our presence brings sustainable socio-economic benefits to the places where we work.
Our direct economic contribution is made up of the value we add by paying wages, employee benefits, taxes and royalties and our returns to capital (dividend and interest payments and the money we retained for future investment) along with the payments we make to our suppliers.
However, our true economic contribution is far greater once the multiplier effects of our presence in an area are considered. These include the indirect effects of people spending their wages, governments distributing tax and royalty revenues, and neighbouring communities using the infrastructure developed for our operations.
- Direct economic contribution
- Indirect economic contribution
- Community contributions
In 2010, our direct economic contribution was US$61,298 million, including:
- US$27,486 million as payments to suppliers
- US$15,645 million as capital reinvestments such as land, property, or equipment purchases, construction and expansions
- US$6,951 million as wages and employee benefits
- US$8,521 million as tax and royalty payments
49 per cent (US$30,143 million) of our direct economic contribution was made at the local or regional level in 2010 with:
- 78 per cent of our wages and employee benefits being paid to local residents
- 76 per cent of our taxes and royalties being charged by local and regional governments
- 62 per cent of all purchases supplied at the local and regional level
