Guidance on collaborating with Indigenous Peoples

Challenge the practice is addressing: AngloAmerican’s Indigenous Peoples section ensures that mining sites have tools and resources to recognise and assess management issues related specifically to mining projects and indigenous communities. It also gives guidance on how to create mutually beneficial and sustainable solutions and how to engage with local communities in a way that puts emphasis on respect for indigenous rights and their cultures.

Concrete practice to achieve the expected goal: The Indigenous Peoples guidance consists of the planning phase, where the management first analyses the legal framework and government engagement with indigenous peoples and develops a community engagement plan based on the context. In addition, a specific Indigenous Peoples plan (IPP) is developed. During the operations, it is important to obtain and retain Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). The implemented procedures are monitored and evaluated regularly, and if necessary, adjusted according to the feedback. AngloAmerican also provides some general guidance on how to develop an IPP, although the plan should always be adjusted to the specific context. The IPP should include the following components: 1) Baseline information about the indigenous community in question, 2) impacts and opportunities of the mining operation to the community in question, 3) Result of community consultation, 3) natural-resource management as a part of IPP, 4) cultural-heritage management as a part of IPP, 5) costs, timeline and responsibilities of the implementation of the IPP, 5) information about how IPP will be monitored and evaluated, and 6) plan about the frequency and timing of the revisions to the IPP.

Expected impact/goal of the practice: The expected impact of the practice is to provide guidance on identifying and recognising issues central to mining operations taking place on lands owned or inhabited by indigenous communities. The guidance ensures that indigenous peoples’ rights and preservation of their cultural practices are respected throughout the life of an asset.

Who is the target user group of the practice/intervention or implementing the practice/intervention? The target group of the practice are primarily social performance teams, but the guidance is useful for all staff members working with indigenous communities.