Not Rocket Science
Not Rocket Science
I recently was fortunate to hit the big smoke to attend a three day gathering of people from the resources industry Australia wide, who work with communities.
The gathering was organized by the International Council of Mining and Metals. It was an enjoyable few days among a really impressive, dedicated and highly qualified group. They were mostly young (by my standards anyway) and from a range of backgrounds – from PhD’s to former tradies. The common thread between all of us was our commitment to strengthening the ties between our industries and the communities in which we work.
As an old site guy, I must admit I wasn’t sure how I’d go in such company. However there was a lot of good will in the room.
I was heartened by the fact that, while there are many ideas and theoretical tools floating around, the consensus seemed to be basic about what the resources industry needs to be doing in the communities of which we are all part.
As you might expect… it’s not rocket science. It’s mostly just old fashioned decency:- treating people with respect and recognizing their inherent value; maintaining our company’s legitimacy by honouring the letter and spirit of the law and regulations that govern our operations; ensuring that the community benefits from our being here; and finally, building trust by being open with people and doing what we say we are going to do.
I feel lucky to work with a company that is already working hard to make sure that these values guide everything we do. In my view it’s what we in the community do and should expect from every resources company – well really every company.
And you know, I came away from the gathering optimistic that the same view is being shared widely by people from across our industry. I reckon the future is in good hands.