Assessing the strategy and performance of selected JSE listed mining companies on their contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Date
2024
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Abstract
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are part of the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which defines an ambitious plan for people, planet, and prosperity. The UN has acknowledged that the SDGs cannot be achieved without the contribution of the private sector. The mining sector is regarded as one of the critical players with the potential to advance the achievement of the SDGs by 2030. The aim of this study was to examine the extent of corporate engagement with the SDGs of 10 selected mining companies in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s (JSE) Top 100 listed firms in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The objectives of this study were based on the recontextualisation of the five steps from the SDG Compass, an international guideline aimed at steering particularly large companies on engaging with the SDGs through integration, appraisal, and reporting of progress on the SDGs. This study was based on the companies’ 2019 annual reports for gathering secondary data afterwards semi-structured interviews with sustainability managers of the same selected mining companies. Content analysis coupled with a rating scale were utilised for data analysis to determine the extent of corporate engagement with the SDGs. The results of the study show that only four of the ten mining companies have made considerable progress on engaging with the SDGs, including integrating the SDGs into the core of their strategy and business models. Most mining companies failed on setting SMART objectives to support their priority SDGs, which resulted in inadequate reporting of performance to advance the SDGs. Additionally, the results of the study point to limited involvement of top management for mining companies that lagged behind. Finally, if the mining sector is to significantly contribute towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, then top management of mining companies must fully embrace the SDGs and provide leadership in steering the integration of the SDGs into strategy and business models of mining companies.
Description
A research report submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Environmental Sciences to the Faculty of Science, School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023
Keywords
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Top management, Corporate sustainability