OPENING OBSERVATIONS
It was in 1999 that the first work started within the University to develop the proposal which resulted in the establishment of SMI. It was in the same year that a number of international mining companies formed the Global Mining Initiative to consider the ways by which the industry would respond to the quite different challenges facing the industry in the new century. The resulting Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development project ran from 1999 until early 2002.
SMI accepts the Brundtland definition of sustainable development (development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations) as a starting point in developing its own understanding of the concept. This position is in common with that adapted by the industry in general and most of the companies which make up the industry.
From the outset, our approach has been to undertake projects with the industry which fit within the broadly accepted pillars of SD and to learn from the experience. It is apparent that much of the industry is also in a learning phase, so our partnership type approach is engaging well with the industry.
The range of work conducted over the last five years which has an SD flavour is now extensive. SMI believes it is beginning to understand how the laudable principles of SD can be explained, and more importantly, can be put into practice by the industry to achieve real gains in performance.
During its second year, SMI was challenged to produce some real intellectual thought on SD. Responding to that challenge continues to be a driving goal. The sections which follow present the steps SMI has taken and continues to pursue in a journey to work with the industry to understand and implement the principles of SD.
|
|