Capability development

Leadership & people development in Rio Tinto is focused on ensuring effective and comprehensive leadership and functional development across the Group in support of our business objectives. In addition to an integrated and customised suite of leadership development programmes from Graduates through to Managing Directors, Rio Tinto has developed a number of functional development programmes for functional professionals and practitioners (e.g. Asset Management, Human Resources, Mining, Marketing, Project Management, Business Improvement) across the Group.

To ensure a needs based approach all Rio Tinto's people development activities, whether local, regional or global, are based on a rigorous analysis of the functional and leadership competencies required for each role.

Our results

In world class mines and processing facilities such as those we operate, the workforce is becoming increasingly skilled, requiring a high level of training and capability. More than 1,000 people attended regional and global leadership and functional development programmes in 2007 and 280 graduates attended the Rio Tinto Graduate Development Programme.

Our business units and Group functions deliver over 7,000 role specific and relevant training courses annually across all technical and functional areas and among all levels of the organisation. We are increasing our use of simulator based and technology driven experiential learning and have also developed our own approach to coaching.