MINING
ESG in mining:
From compliance to competitive advantage
Treating ESG in the mining industry as a competitive advantage that can birth innovation and act as a stimulus for growth allows sunrise opportunities like critical minerals to take centre stage and enable true change.
By Motshegwa More, Social Investment Specialist at Tshikululu
The South African mining sector has evolved from seeing Environmental, Social and Governance( ESG) factors purely as a compliance exercise to truly embracing them as a catalyst for growth and opportunity. This shift could not be more timely. As the country seeks to implement a just and equitable transition to a low-carbon economy, the mining sector sits at its very heart, both as a legacy industry and as a driver of the new green economy.
According to the Minerals Council SA 2024 Annual Report, the sector makes up 6.1 % of South Africa’ s GDP and employs close to half a million people. Despite being such a cornerstone, its history in South Africa is a complex one, marked by structural inequality and environmental challenges.
… capitalising on critical minerals must be done in an ESG-conscious way to truly align with the just transition.
44 sabusinessintegrator. co. za