How to Best Ensure Fruitful Relations with Communities

Q: What is your opinion about the current state of relations between mining companies and communities in Mexico?

A: I consider these relations to be good, despite cases in which projects have been mismanaged. In cases where conflicts do break out, these are generally managed quite well with communities that have realized that mining brings extraordinary benefits such as infrastructure, health services, environmental protection, productive projects, and the development of value chains. The fact that the number of companies having received awards for being socially responsible has increased in recent years proves that mining companies are taking the interests of the communities to heart.

Q: What initiatives are necessary to maintain a good relationship with companies around a mine?

A: One important issue is that workers that come from other parts of Mexico must be trained to respect the local culture of the region they work in. Beyond this, mining companies are able to foment change within communities concerning problems such as domestic violence, but this takes time. Domestic violence is an important problem in Mexico and mining companies combat it by giving talks to the women and children of the communities, as well as to their own workers. Every year, we gather many families involved and give them a diploma for courses taken to prevent such violence. These courses revolve around themes such as respect for women and children, and education. Furthermore, mining companies seek to rebuild the self-esteem of its workers to take them out of cultural, mental, and economic poverty.

Many communities still see companies as being substitutes for the government and demand that they help maintain the town. This is why mining companies will be forced to pay double to maintain their social licenses to operate. That being said, many development programs belonging to municipal governments do not always support marginal communities. Since marginal communities are often closer to mines, mining companies need to become the promoter of development for these communities. Companies often have to support the creation of infrastructure, education, and health services, among other things. When a community begins to see mining as an activity that will create opportunities rather than problems, it seeks to be closer to mining companies. The most important challenge being faced now is for mining companies to continue making social investments despite the introduction of the mining tax and royalty. The federal government, through SEDATU, will create committees in all the mining states that will include representatives from state and municipal governments, from the mining companies with activities in those states, and from the communities involved. These committees will define the use of the funds collected from the tax and royalty. Any community or municipal presidents will be able to present projects to be developed through this fund.

Q: What types of measures are taken to ensure that CSR projects focus on the real needs of specific communities?

A: Every community has its own requirements that are identified through careful studies. Certain programs, such as the Participative Rural Diagnosis, are carried out prior to all other research. This study involves social workers, anthropologists, and sociologists studying the culture of each community and assessing the impact that mining activities will have on it. It therefore helps mining companies avoid invading the customs and way of life of a community, and allows them to become involved in ways that will maximize the chance of communities welcoming them onto their land. Subsequently, a social baseline study is carried out to generate a vision of a community, of its leaders, of its precise situation, of the driving forces within its fold, and of its resources. This study includes matters such as the environment, culture, education, human resources, and the growth potential of children. Another important study is the Stakeholders Mapping 360° study, which focuses on identifying the leaders, their authority, relationships among them, and the potential for these leaders to impact future operations. Once these studies are made, companies create risk maps and hold talks with the stakeholders that present the highest risk in order to create awareness about the reality of the mining operations. After these precautions are taken, CSR programs are set in place and sustainability reports are written to communicate the good and bad aspects of the operations. This latter part is done in order for communities to realize that mining companies work for the common good.