COMMUNITY RELATIONS – ANY IDEAS?

A US quarrying journal years ago claimed that more land in the US had been devoted to parking lots at supermarkets than all the lands ever used by mining in its entire history.

While that may or may not transfer to the Australian experience it is worth noting that most car parks are far more unsightly than most modern extractive industry sites.

The extractive industries is demanded by the community but often also lacking in recognition by the same community for the materials it creates, the local jobs it supports and the income it contributes to communities – amongst other things.

We provide the supply of raw materials to satisfy the community demand for services and infrastructure, yet our ability and endeavours to educate the community about our operations and techniques is often minimal or reactive.

Community ire is too often directed toward the industries environmental performance – and while we may be operating within very strict regulatory regimes, we can not help but dig holes and alter the landscape. This is of course, anathema to the more focused community and environmental groups. All in all, it makes community relations the hardest thing you’ll ever sell.

South Australian based rehabilitation expert, David Keane, made the industry’s position clear. “We need to adapt to changing community awareness. This will determine whether we work toward extinction or survival.”

But there are some simple techniques that can be utilised to aid your community relations plan.

Developing Pride

Before any person outside the quarry site will have a positive perception of the industry, management and employees alike must show pride in what they do and how they do it. 

Failure in this area may mean that your attempt to spread positive messages amongst the community will be diminished, met with disregard and ring hollow.

Employees should be proud of what they do and should understand the positive influence that their work has on the surrounding community.  To develop this pride, management should ensure that they continually display a positive attitude toward the employees work and the industry. 

Employees should be educated in quarry operations, rehabilitation works, efforts that the company takes to maintain a safe work place and the lengths that quarry operators go to prevent any disturbance to the local community. 

This will arm them with the knowledge to defend their work and the industry in front of people who will not see that the roads that they drive on and the walls that they live between all begin with the extractive industry. 

Elimination of the Problem

In conjunction with developing a sense of pride, management and employees must ensure that all efforts have been made to eliminate the factors that contribute to the community’s unrest. Such factors include noise, dust, vibration, movement, and any visual impact. 

Good housekeeping will help make sure that the community perceives your operation as being well run, tidy and efficient.  This is especially important in areas clearly visible from offsite.  For example loose material at the front gate and on local roads does not portray a good image. 

The fact of the matter remains, if you take away the problem there will be nothing to complain about. 

How to win favour

Once you have developed a sense of pride and eliminated the problems as far as practicable then you can start to consider methods of improving your relationship with the community.  Some points you should consider are:

• Prepare your site and then invite neighbours in for guided tours of the plant, explain what you do and how you do it.
• Invite questions but ensure you’re prepared with the answers. Make yours an approachable operation. If a neighbour’s query can be placated over the phone or via a quick meeting, considerable time, energy and angst can be saved.
• Focus on consultation and cooperation through education in schools and community groups. Why not invite the local school to tour your site? Provide plenty of information on what is produced and how it is used. This may form a vital link of understanding and respect may be formed.
• Maintain an emphasis on clear explanations of planning issues affecting the site and surrounds. If works are planned, provide ample time for community consultation and don’t hide from the tough questions. While your tolerance may be tested, your professionalism may eventually win through.
• Get involved in community days, Arbor day, Land Care groups, some quarries already supply trees and equipment for community days to rehabilitate sites. They’ll appreciate your effort and your respect for the environment.
• Use the local media to sell your story. Doing major contract work? Let the local paper know of the employment this creates and the economic benefit to the community. If you’ve reached a production or safety target generate a story. Invite the local reporter and they’ll generally be grateful for the lead.
• Use the regulatory authorities to help further ideas. They may be able to recommend advice or professionals to assist in achieving goals in environmental or community relations.
• Don’t grandstand, but remember your site is an important economic benefit to the local community. You provide jobs and revenue. Your industry is just as important as any other.
• Demonstrate professionalism in all aspects of your operations. If you wouldn’t want a contractor’s truck running up and down your street ensure they don’t upset others.

A Western Australian Chamber of Mines study of community attitudes to the industry found there was an overwhelming recognition of the mining industry’s economic importance. Employment was identified as a major benefit. The report also demonstrated there is a clear link between public perceptions of management and community attitudes to most aspects of the mining industry. Essentially, respondents believed if mining is well managed, they could be more confident about performance in safety and the environment.

A further outcome of the study was that mining was identified as needing a “face”. The study showed that most people based their opinions about the industry in part on media reports. It’s a good reason for getting your name and face known to the local paper.

The study also found that industry employees and suppliers were an important but un-tapped community relations resource. The respondents saw industry employees as a very credible source of information about the industry.

It may be disappointing but it is probably fair to say that half the community doesn’t know what the extractive industries does and what it contributes. Mining companies long ago recognised the importance of community relations and work actively to promote the benefits of the industry, through lobby groups, harnessing of the media and strong environmental plans. Can we be assured we’re doing everything we can when we’re located in everyone’s backyard?

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