Anglo American highlights leading sustainable development performance

Anglo American plc (“Anglo American”) has presented its sustainable development performance to the investment community, hosted by Sir Mark Moody-Stuart and Cynthia Carroll, highlighting a year of further considerable achievements for the Group:

* Significant improvement in safety performance, both in terms of a 33% reduction in the number of fatalities and a 17% decrease in the lost time injury frequency rate – continuing to strive towards achieving the goal of zero harm, irrespective of reductions to Group capital expenditure;
* Catalysed a major tripartite safety process involving a partnership between government, unions and other mining companies in South Africa;
* Gained prestigious awards across all businesses and major geographies, including for gender sensitivity, contribution to the Millennium Development Goals, overall CSR performance, best corporate grant maker, community engagement and environmental performance (see notes for award details);
* Economic contribution through taxes of $4.2 billion, 66% of which was borne and collected in developing countries;
* $13 billion spent with suppliers, $6.3 billion of which in Africa;
* Enterprise development schemes supporting over 13,000 jobs in South Africa and Chile and now expanded into Brazil and Venezuela; heading towards 20,000 freestanding jobs by end of 2009;
* Extended world’s largest private sector workplace programme for HIV/AIDS to dependants of employees and contractors, with some 64,000 people taking up voluntary counselling and testing in southern Africa during the year; and
* Embarked upon a major internal capacity building drive to ensure that the company has the necessary appreciation of underlying social development issues including an advanced social development course for senior managers created for Anglo by the Universities of Cambridge and Queensland.

Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, Chairman, said: “Irrespective of current economic conditions, sustainable development remains a key priority for Anglo American. Our economic contribution to governments through tax payments, some $1.6 billion in Africa alone last year, and the sheer quantum of expenditure with our suppliers, in excess of $8.3 billion in Africa and South America in 2008, are of ever greater value in these more straitened times.

“Anglo’s commitment to developing and implementing innovative solutions relating to water management, energy usage, land stewardship and HIV/AIDS treatment and counselling all contribute to Anglo being the partner of choice in the mining industry. We are delighted that many years of hard work continue to position Anglo American as a leader in its field, gaining extensive recognition across our businesses and geographies, highlighting the depth of the company’s culture of corporate responsibility.”

Cynthia Carroll, Chief Executive, added: “Anglo American continues to make great strides with its sustainable development and corporate citizenship endeavours, leading the way, differentiating us from our peers and improving our bottom line. Our approach to responsible mining is fundamental for the long term success of our business, to the benefit of our shareholders, host governments, local communities and employees.

“Our unrelenting focus on safety has led to a clear improvement in performance in 2008 and we will continue towards our goal of achieving zero harm in the workplace. The year has also seen us achieve a step change in the scale of our enterprise development programmes, with supported companies employing more than 10,000 people in South Africa and 3,000 in Chile, with a further programme now launched in Brazil. Anglo’s sustainability programmes are embedded into how we do business and we believe we do better business that way.”

The full presentation can be accessed at:
http://www.angloamerican.co.uk/aa/investors/presentations/