2011
AMBATOVY SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
10
Stakeholder Engagement
Local Communities
We understand that the individuals who make up these
communities are the very people who can be most impacted
by our activities. They are therefore important to us. The
communities around our sites are represented by individuals,
leaders and local associations. Our interactions take a
variety of forms. We have quarterly meetings with various
groups, such as the traditionally recognized leaders known
as
tangalamena
and the Local Coordination Committee made
up of district leaders and authorities. We also meet people in
the communities informally every day through our Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) community agents. These
agents check on infrastructure, update the public on issues of
concern and raise awareness of Ambatovy-sponsored events
and programs.
Civil Society
We are pleased to partner with a number of civil society
organizations that support the implementation of programs
that fulfill our commitments to the government, our lenders
and the local communities. One such stakeholder is UNICEF,
with whom we work to implement programs related to
education, HIV/AIDS and child protection. For a detailed list of
our partner organizations, see Appendix 1: Partnerships and
Associations.
Government and Regulatory Bodies
Compliance with regulatory requirements and best practices
in the mining sector is fundamental to our success. We
strive to have an open and transparent relationship with the
Government of Madagascar and the regulatory bodies that
are authorized to oversee our construction and operations.
We meet with relevant ministries and authorities at national,
regional and local levels.
Media
We recognize the importance of disseminating clear and
timely public information about our activities. We endeavour
to be open and consistent with the media, providing accurate
information both nationally and internationally. Ambatovy
regularly issues press releases and newsletters and offers site
visits to journalists in order to cultivate a truthful public record
of our activities.
Financial Community
The financial community plays an integral role in supporting
our construction and operations. Key stakeholders include
the Ambatovy partners and lending institutions. In 2007,
Ambatovy’s partners reached a financing agreement with
a consortium of 14 lending institutions. This consortium is
comprised of government-sponsored export credit agencies,
international development and commercial banks. In addition,
we communicate through our partner companies to financial
and industry analysts who assess commodity markets.
Business Community
Ambatovy has an extensive supply chain and our suppliers
and customers are integral stakeholders for us. While we have
a range of suppliers from around the world, we endeavour to
select local producers and suppliers whenever possible as a
part of our commitment to support the Malagasy economy. The
Ambatovy Local Business Initiative (ALBI) sources from and
offers technical support to local enterprises. This has resulted
in these enterprises supplying a range of goods and services
to us. We also coordinate regularly with the wider business
community in Madagascar. We are a member of the Chamber
of Mines of Madagascar as well as the Madagascar Business
Association (
Groupement des Entreprises de Madagascar,
GEM
) and the Madagascar Industries Union (
Syndicat
des Industries de Madagascar, SIM
). Our goal is that such
relationships with suppliers and the business community build
up the productive capacity within Madagascar.
Workforce and Contractors
Ambatovy is committed to maximizing national employment
and developing a skilled local workforce. Thousands
of Malagasy employees and contractors have received
construction, technical and administrative training. Investing
in such training ensures that they will be able to assume roles
with increasing responsibilities during the operations phase.
Moreover, the partnerships we maintain with local technical
schools assure capacity building for our workforce and the
local population.
Local Coordination Committee (LCC)
Following a strike in 2010 in Moramanga, Ambatovy
participated in the formation of the LCC, which was
created to address issues related to local hiring and
social investments. In 2011, it became a key forum
for engaging the Moramanga community. Members
of the committee represent business, civil society and
government leaders. The LCC’s mandate is to provide
a platform for consultation and development between
authorities, local communities, Ambatovy and other
actors. It aims to validate priority programs and to
maximize the positive impacts from investment in the
area. The committee has agreed to meet every two
months, though it may meet more frequently.
