Rio Tinto launches new Australian payment terms

04 February 2020

MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rio Tinto will immediately begin transitioning small Australian suppliers to shorter payment terms that will see them paid within 20 days of receipt of a valid invoice. This move, which will apply to suppliers with annual turnover up to A$10 million, reflects Rio Tinto’s recognition of the importance of ensuring smaller suppliers, whom are often local to its Australian operations, are paid in a timely manner.

Rio Tinto chief commercial officer Simon Trott said, “Small businesses are often the lifeblood of the communities in which we operate and being paid quickly is important for their cash flows. That is why we are shortening our payment terms to less than three weeks in order to further strengthen our partnership with smaller Australian suppliers, that are a vital part of Rio’s supply chain.

“As a result of the new policy, around 90 per cent of Rio Tinto’s Australian business suppliers will be paid within 20 days.”

The new policy expands Rio Tinto’s definition of small suppliers from being those who supply up to A$1 million of goods and services to also include businesses with annual turnover of up to A$10 million. The new payment terms, and ongoing work to simplify and systemise our procurement processes, reflect a commitment to improve our partnership with suppliers.

Notes to editors

Rio Tinto has a strong local procurement strategy designed to increase opportunities for Australian businesses to be a part of the Rio Tinto supply chain. Procurement practices, and those of Rio Tinto contractors, help sustain many Australian businesses and, in turn, local communities.

In 2018, Rio Tinto supplier spend in Australia was around A$14 billion.

Contacts
media.enquiries@riotinto.com
riotinto.com

Follow @RioTinto on Twitter

Media Relations, United Kingdom
Illtud Harri
M +44 7920 503 600

David Outhwaite
T +44 20 7781 1623
M +44 7787 597 493

Media Relations, Americas
Matthew Klar
T +1 514 608 4429

Media Relations, Asia
Grant Donald
T +65 6679 9290
M +65 9722 6028

Media Relations, Australia
Jonathan Rose
T +61 3 9283 3088
M +61 447 028 913

Matt Chambers
T +61 3 9283 3087
M +61 433 525 739

Jesse Riseborough
T +61 8 6211 6013
M +61 436 653 412

Investor Relations, United Kingdom
Menno Sanderse
T: +44 20 7781 1517
M: +44 7825 195 178

David Ovington
T +44 20 7781 2051
M +44 7920 010 978

Investor Relations, Australia
Natalie Worley
T +61 3 9283 3063
M +61 409 210 462

Amar Jambaa
T +61 3 9283 3627
M +61 472 865 948

Rio Tinto plc
6 St James’s Square
London SW1Y 4AD
United Kingdom
T +44 20 7781 2000
Registered in England
No. 719885

Rio Tinto Limited
Level 7, 360 Collins Street
Melbourne 3000
Australia
T +61 3 9283 3333
Registered in Australia
ABN 96 004 458 404

Category: General

Source: Rio Tinto