Socio-Economic Assessment Toolbox (SEAT)

This manual provides a process designed to assist Anglo American (Anglo) operations to identify and manage their social and economic impacts (both positive and negative). It also provides guidance on how to improve overall social performance where this is necessary. The process is aimed at existing operations and has been developed as part of a range of initiatives to improve social performance and to embed sustainable development concepts into core business strategies. These initiatives are a response to growing expectations of improved social performance within the natural resources and extractive industries, as reflected in the Global Mining Initiative, the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and increased investor interest in social and ethical issues.

It is intended, through the implementation of the SEAT process, that the long-term economic and social sustainability of the communities around Anglo’s operations will be enhanced, and the basis for more sustainable partnerships establishe.

Stakeholder engagement is a vital part of the SEAT process and, as such, features in many of the tools that have been developed. These tools have been designed to work independently of each other and as a result distinct stakeholder engagement activities have been developed for the majority of tools. In reality, when a comprehensive assessment is being pursued, stakeholder engagement activities from many of these tools can effectively be merged. How this is done is best left to local discretion so as to ensure an efficient process for the operation and to avoid stakeholder fatigue.

The SEAT process will also assist operations to meet the objectives of Anglo’s ‘Good Citizenship’ Business Principles, as they relate to community development.