Millennium Development Goals

Rio Tinto is committed to playing our part in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Since 2009, our innovative communities global target has been aligned with the MDGs. The target states: all operations to have locally appropriate, publicly reported social performance indicators that demonstrate a positive contribution to the economic development of the communities and regions where we work, consistent with the Millennium Development Goals, by 2013. In 2011, 35 per cent of our operations had conforming community targets in place.

This target is specifically aimed at economic development and increasing people’s access to livelihoods, supply chains and economic resiliency. Rio Tinto businesses supported over 2,700 socioeconomic programmes covering a wide range of activities such as health, education, business development, housing, environmental protection and agricultural development during 2011. We spent an estimated US$294 million on community programmes and payments into trusts set up in directly negotiated community agreements, however it is the direct and multiplier economic effects that make our major contribution to meeting the MDGs.

The resource sector can provide a strong base for economic growth at local, regional, or national level. Rio Tinto focuses on the ways in which it can bring sustainable socioeconomic benefits to the areas in which it operates. The 76 per cent increase in direct community spending compared to 2010 reflects an upsurge in Group activity generally and the escalation of projects in Australia, Mongolia, Guinea and Peru in particular. The establishment of major community agreements, with direct payments into community controlled regional development trusts, also contributed to the increase. Some of the direct payments were once only payments associated with the commencement of such agreements.

Here we use case studies, stories and examples set within the MDG framework to demonstrate our approach to sustainable development and local community target setting. Sustainable development is commonly defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Sustainable development cannot be achieved by one organisation, government or community on its own. We believe that our business can make an important contribution to the ongoing, global transition to sustainable development and a meaningful contribution to meeting the MDGs.

Note

Recognising that the MDGs specifically target the least developed countries, we have also drawn on case studies and examples from “frontier” regions of Australia and Canada because these regions often experience similar conditions to communities in developing countries, eg: access to education, health services, infrastructure, communication linkages and meaningful employment.

Read more about our contribution to meeting the MDGs.