- Glencore recognises that robust and respectful engagement with stakeholders is essential for its industrial assets to maintain their licence to operate.
- Kamoto Copper Company S.A. (KCC) and Mutanda Mining SARL (MUMI) host community townhall in Kolwezi on 29 June 2023.
- Community townhalls are one of the engagement platforms available to communities to express concerns and give feedback to the companies.
- Local employment, social infrastructure investments, support of local businesses and Health, Safety, Environment, Social Performance and Human Rights (HSEC and HR) performance were key topics discussed during the townhall.
KCC and MUMI, two large-scale industrial copper and cobalt producers in the Lualaba province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) hosted a community townhall on 29 June 2023 to promote dialogue with local stakeholders.
Clint Donkin, Head of Glencore Copper Africa, said: “We’re proud of the open, constructive, and ongoing engagement with stakeholders at our KCC and MUMI operations. We aim to build relationships with local communities and decision-making authorities to share information about our activities and to help us understand their views and address concerns they may have.
This was an important event for us to listen to and share ideas with stakeholders and reaffirm our commitment to addressing potential grievances, claims and concerns that were not captured through our grievance mechanism.”
Christian Luhembwe, CEO of MUMI, said: “At any given time, there are several streams of activity underway to encourage dialogue with our local stakeholders. These may range from the Kolwezi Agropastoral Fair to immunisation and malaria-control programmes to school construction or retraining of artisanal miners to support sustainable, alternative livelihoods efforts in collaboration with government institutions and the Fair Cobalt Alliance.”
“This community townhall meeting is an important forum to foster an open, trusted and constructive dialogue. It gives us an opportunity to give an update on planned and ongoing community activities. But more importantly, it gives our local community stakeholders, including traditional authorities and members of the public, an opportunity to raise concerns and highlight projects or programmes that were successful. This is a healthy way to learn from the past as well as build on successes as we look to the future.”
