Foreword

Mining and metals companies acknowledge that strong community relationships are critical to long-term operational success. Despite efforts in stakeholder engagement, tangible improvements in company-community relationships have not always been achieved. The Understanding Company-Community Relations Toolkit provides a structured approach to assessing and improving these relationships. The toolkit was tested by ICMM member companies, Barrick and Teck, to refine its methodology.

Introduction

The toolkit helps companies:

• Understand the factors influencing community support.
• Measure levels of support using structured assessment tools.
• Develop targeted strategies to strengthen relationships with local communities.

It is primarily intended for site-level social performance managers but is also relevant for corporate teams, NGOs, and other stakeholders. While the toolkit does not replace existing guidelines, it serves as a complementary tool for assessing and improving community relations.

Understand: What is community support?

Indicators explained

Community support is determined by four key indicators:

• Legitimacy – The community’s perception of the company’s compliance with legal, societal, and ethical standards.
• Compatibility of interests – The extent to which community expectations and company objectives align.
• Respect – The presence of mutual respect in interactions, cultural sensitivity, and inclusive decision-making.
• Trust – The company’s credibility, transparency, and reliability in fulfilling commitments.

Contextual factors explained

Three external factors influence community support:

• Sociopolitical and governance context – The effectiveness of governance, legal frameworks, and political accountability.
• Reputational context – The mining industry’s legacy, company-specific reputation, and past interactions with communities.
• Equity and social capital considerations – Perceptions of fairness in the distribution of benefits and impacts, as well as the strength of community networks.

These indicators and factors must be evaluated together to understand the full picture of community support.

Measure: What is the current level of community support?

Community support assessment process

The assessment follows five key steps:

• Define objectives – Establish the purpose of the assessment and the expected outcomes.
• Select external stakeholders – Engage a diverse set of community representatives, ensuring that vulnerable groups are included.
• Refine and implement the assessment – Choose an appropriate method (interviews, focus groups, surveys) and tailor the questions to local conditions.
• Manage and process the data – Use a structured scoring system (-2 to +2) to analyse stakeholder perceptions.
• Visualise the results – Present findings using spider diagrams to identify trends and disparities between stakeholder groups.

The assessment should be repeated periodically to track changes in perceptions and to refine engagement strategies.

Assess and respond: Why is the current level of community support as it is and how can it be improved?

Analyse the results and propose actions

• Compare community perceptions with company perceptions to identify gaps.
• Investigate the reasons behind low levels of support by reviewing qualitative feedback.
• Develop targeted actions to address concerns and improve engagement.

Report back to stakeholders and explore and agree next steps

• Engage communities in discussions to validate assessment findings.
• Address areas of concern by co-developing action plans with stakeholders.
• Maintain transparency in decision-making and ensure that commitments are followed through.
• Manage conflicting viewpoints constructively while setting realistic expectations.

Planning: How do I plan for this process?

Who should conduct the assessment?

• Independent third parties can enhance objectivity, but internal teams with expertise in stakeholder engagement and social performance can also lead the assessment.
• Assessors should have experience in field research, community engagement, and conflict resolution.

When and how often should the assessment be conducted?

• The assessment should be conducted biennially but may be required more frequently if significant changes occur, such as new project phases or shifts in community sentiment.
• Assessments should align with key operational milestones, such as project development, expansion, or closure.

Leveraging existing information and processes

• Use existing data from stakeholder mapping, risk assessments, and grievance mechanisms to enhance the efficiency of the assessment.
• Integrate findings into the broader social management framework to ensure alignment with business objectives.

Additional tool: How to identify and address internal organisational challenges

How to undertake this assessment

• Conducted separately from community assessments to ensure objectivity.
• Can be carried out through focus groups or third-party evaluations.

The assessment

• Social performance management – Evaluate stakeholder engagement practices, impact management, and investment effectiveness.
• Resources and culture – Assess staffing levels, budget allocations, and the company’s internal culture regarding community relations.

Common issues and suggested actions

• If stakeholder engagement is weak, implement structured and participatory consultation processes.
• If transparency is lacking, improve communication and disclosure mechanisms.
• If impact management is insufficient, enhance mitigation measures and monitoring efforts.
• If budget constraints exist, prioritise high-impact community initiatives that align with business objectives.

Further information

• The report references industry guidelines from ICMM, IFC, and academic research on corporate social responsibility.
• The annexes include practical tools such as stakeholder survey questions, data management templates, and visualisation techniques to facilitate the assessment process.