Analysing the sustainable development goals and sustainability reports of South Africa’s platinum mines.

Abstract

This study analyses the SDGs and sustainability reports of South Africa's platinum mines. Balancing economic growth, social equity and environmental protection is crucial for mineraldependent communities. Hotelling's rule further highlights the need for intergenerational equity in resource extraction, highlighting the importance of aligning mining with the SDGs. The paradoxical relationship between mining and sustainability is problematic. This is because mining exacerbates the issues that the SDGs aim to address. Notably, South African PGM mining companies, through their SLPs, must benefit the neighbouring mining communities because of their negative societal and environmental impacts. Arguably, achieving this objective is, to some extent, not materialising. Therefore, PGM mining companies’ sustainability reports communicate one side of the story and neglect the communities’ negative experiences. Hence, the Minerals Council of South Africa, aims to reposition the industry as a ‘sustainability leader’. Particularly given South Africa's global prominence in platinum production. As such, this study adopted the Minerals Council social and relationship capital SDGs, and devised three research objectives. To evaluate PGM mining companies’ implementation of the SDGs targets, the effectiveness of their sustainability reports using the SDG Compass. Lastly, the progress of PGM mining companies’ SLP sustainability projects. A dual-qualitative approach via semi-structured interviews and document analysis were used for data collection. First, semi-structured interviews were conducted with mining community stakeholders in South Africa's Bushveld Igneous Complex, a geographically concentrated and globally significant PGM hub. Second, PGM mining companies’ sustainability reports were analysed. The findings of this study, among others, are that PGM mining companies’ contribution to their surrounding mining communities vary. Second, it is evident that the majority of PGM mining companies analysed in this study exhibit surface-level understanding of the SDGs and moderately connect the SDGs with their business case. Lastly, SLP sustainability projects are done in silos, excluding the mining communities’ inputs due to misaligned community needs. As a result, the study recommended, a rigorous, continuous multi-stakeholder approach between the PGM mining companies, the mining communities and several other stakeholders to address the changing mining community needs. Second, to consult sustainability experts, particularly at audit firms, to ensure that strong governance principles are integrated with the SDGs.