Earthwatch down to business with Rio Tinto

2006 marks the tenth anniversary of Rio Tinto working in partnership with the Earthwatch Institute, an international environmental organisation.

Recently a new focus started on how partnership research can better serve the interests and priorities of Rio Tinto's operations.

The Earthwatch Institute is a major funder of scientific environmental research worldwide, supporting research in the field and environmental education to improve biodiversity conservation. The partnership with Rio Tinto was formed in response to the growing need for action on environmental issues, such as protecting and enhancing biodiversity around the world and eco-system management.

Since the partnership started in 1996, more than 100 Rio Tinto staff from 19 countries have taken part in conservation projects. Among these projects has been the Return of the Dawn Chorus, a project in New South Wales, Australia, which looked at birds as indicator species to examine biodiversity benefits, and a project monitoring proboscis monkeys in south western Indonesia, as part of an effort to conserve the rainforest. "What I learnt from the experience was mostly about myself and what I value," said a Hamersley volunteer at the Indonesian project. "I also gained an appreciation of the competing needs of the environment and an expanding population with no ties to the area where they are living."

In response to operational interests and priorities at Rio Tinto, the Group's businesses can prompt the development of new field research projects and local stakeholder engagement programmes. A business unit can, for example:

• Nominate a team of local stakeholders to participate in an Earthwatch Institute project
• Explore and develop a research project on or near the site, to deliver research outcomes with direct environmental impact and provide opportunities for engaging stakeholders
• Nominate and fund a small number of places for selected employees to participate on specific Earthwatch programmes

The partnership's work links into Rio Tinto's sustainable development policy and activities have included support for the development of the Rio Tinto Biodiversity Strategy, launched in 2004.