How Rio Tinto’s Latest Case Shines Light on a Growing Industry
Mining investment news, insights, and company profiles
No Result
View All Result
Subscribe
  • Home
  • News
    • All News
    • Gold
    • Silver
    • Copper
    • Nickel
    • Lithium
    • Precious Metals
    • Base Metals
    • Battery Metals
    • Exploration
    • Development
    • Production
  • Articles
    • All Articles
    • Assay Insights
  • Videos
    • CEO Interviews
    • Mining Masters: Inside Investment Strategies
    • Investor Panels & Presentations
  • Company Profiles
  • Magazine
  • Newsletter
  • Feature in The Assay
  • Book an Interview
  • 121 Mining Investment
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Partners
  • Home
  • News
    • All News
    • Gold
    • Silver
    • Copper
    • Nickel
    • Lithium
    • Precious Metals
    • Base Metals
    • Battery Metals
    • Exploration
    • Development
    • Production
  • Articles
    • All Articles
    • Assay Insights
  • Videos
    • CEO Interviews
    • Mining Masters: Inside Investment Strategies
    • Investor Panels & Presentations
  • Company Profiles
  • Magazine
  • Newsletter
  • Feature in The Assay
  • Book an Interview
  • 121 Mining Investment
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Partners
No Result
View All Result
Subscribe
The Assay - Mining investment news, insights and company profiles
No Result
View All Result
Home Articles

Impact Investing and ESG Strategies – How Rio Tinto’s Latest Case Shines Light on a Growing Industry

Amy Rotman, Editor, The AssaybyAmy Rotman, Editor, The Assay
28 August, 2020
Impact Investing and ESG Strategies - How Rio Tinto's Latest Case Shines Light on a Growing Industry

When Rio Tinto blasted a 46,000-year old cultural site in Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia back in May, they had met the legal requirements to do so. That said, they have faced severe public and investor backlash for the act – in putting profits ahead of heritage.

Rio Tinto previously stood out for its acknowledgement of Indigenous land rights and was the top-rated mining company in 2018 and 2019 for its corporate human rights. Now, an internal review has concluded that Riot Tinto “failed to meet some of its own internal standards and procedures in relation to the responsible management and protection of cultural heritage” and investors are questioning whether the punishment for executives is too soft.

This issue has only highlighted the growing focus on ESG for the industry and is part of an approach for investors to assess risks and opportunities that looks beyond financial statements. On the mining side, the industry has typically suffered from a problem of perception and bias from the community-at-large. That said, over the years there have been major strides where companies have grown their focus on environmental stewardship, health and safety requirements, transparency, ethics, supply chains, social performance, human rights, and more. In more recent years, mining companies have worked to improve their ESG metrics through the adoption of innovative technologies, the use of Artificial Intelligence, driverless trains/trucks, for example. These such endeavors help on the Environmental focus of ESG, helping to reduce mine footprints, and reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

On the Social front, mining companies have taken meaningful steps to improve the lives of their workers – focusing on health and safety issues and ways to safeguard against the use of child labour. With this growing focus on ESG, companies are increasingly being asked to measure their performance and communicate their solutions to a broad set of stakeholders.  

For investors, ESG is increasingly part of the decision-making process when looking at potential investments, and we’re seeing a shift in investment philosophy moving from simple financial analysis to a much more complex labyrinth of factors – such as an organization’s ethics, competitive advantages, culture, and focus on Indigenous rights, the environment, and more.

This is a growing trend we’re seeing across industries – towards impact investing. Impact investing is a strategy which looks to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact coupled with a financial return – challenging the idea that social and environmental issues need to be solely philanthropic. Since 2014, funds directly attributable to impact investors have grown from US$46 billion to an estimated US$715 billion, and the Global Impact Investing Network and the World Bank anticipate that this trend will accelerate.

Rio Tinto’s punishment for executives over the Juukan Gorge case is likely to provoke an even stronger focus on ESG issues for the industry. With shareholders, investors, and activists increasingly calling for greater transparency and ESG accountability, we expect to see changes in the ways that miners do business, and the ways that investors help to enact that change.

Amy Rotman, Editor, The Assay

Amy Rotman, Editor, The Assay

Amy is the Editor of The Assay as well as APAC content director for 121 Group events. She has been involved in the mining investment space for more than five years, managing all editorial content across The Assay and APAC events, providing insight into mining investments and key market developments. Amy has run conferences and events across the APAC region since she relocated to Hong Kong in 2011 from Canada.

Related Posts

Eldorado Gold Highlights ESG Progress in 2024 Sustainability Report
Development

Eldorado Gold Highlights ESG Progress in 2024 Sustainability Report

byEleanor Laurence - Content Producer, The Assay
15 May, 2025
Putting Sustainability at the Heart of Mining Investment
Investor Insight

Investing in Africa and Globally:Assessing Opportunities Across the Metals Space

byAmy Rotman, Editor, The Assay
5 February, 2025
Evolution Energy Minerals –Making Strides atthe Chilalo Graphite Project Towards FID
In Discussion

Evolution Energy Minerals – Making Strides at the Chilalo Graphite Project Towards FID

byKatie Gordon, Associate Editor - The Assay
30 January, 2025
ESG Strategies For Investing In Africa
Analysis

The Rise of Canadian Eco-Gold

byKatie Gordon, Associate Editor - The Assay
20 November, 2024
Navigating the Future of Critical Minerals: Financing, Sustainability, and More
Investor Insight

Navigating the Future of Critical Minerals: Financing, Sustainability, and More

byAmy Rotman, Editor, The Assay
26 August, 2024
Putting Sustainability at the Heart of Mining Investment
In Discussion

Teck Resources: Leading the Charge Towards a More Sustainable Mining Industry

byAmy Rotman, Editor, The Assay
12 August, 2024
ADVERTISEMENT

Popular Articles

  • The Assay Guide to Palladium vs Platinum

    The Assay Guide to Palladium vs Platinum

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Rhodium: The World’s Priciest Metal Explained

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Assay Guide to Iron Ore

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Underground Mining Guide

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • What is Strip Mining?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Home
  • News
  • Articles
  • Investor Discussions
  • CEO Interviews
  • Company Profiles
  • Newsletter
  • Magazine
  • About Us
  • Our Team
  • Contact Us
Hyve logo

Please note: This Web site and The Assay magazine and the information and materials on this Web site and in The Assay magazine are not, and should not be construed as, an offer to buy or sell, or as a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, any regulated products, securities or investments. This Web site and The Assay Magazine do not, and should not be construed as acting to, sponsor, advocate, endorse or promote any regulated products, securities or investments. This Web site and The Assay magazine and the information and materials on this Web site and in The Assay magazine do not, and shall not be construed as, making any recommendation or providing any investment or other advice with respect to the purchase, sale or other disposition of any regulated products, securities or investments, including, without limitation, any advice to the effect that any mining or metals related transaction is appropriate or suitable for any investment objective or financial situation of a prospective investor. A decision to invest in any regulated products, securities or investments should not be made in reliance on any of the information or materials on this Web site or in The Assay magazine. Before making any investment decision, prospective investors should seek advice from appropriately qualified and licensed financial, legal, tax and accounting advisers, take into account their individual financial needs and circumstances and carefully consider the risks associated with such investment decision.

Privacy Notice
Cookies
Hong Kong Residents Privacy Statement

© 2025 The Assay

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • All News
    • Gold
    • Silver
    • Copper
    • Nickel
    • Lithium
    • Precious Metals
    • Base Metals
    • Battery Metals
    • Exploration
    • Development
    • Production
  • Articles
    • All Articles
    • Assay Insights
  • Videos
    • CEO Interviews
    • Mining Masters: Inside Investment Strategies
    • Investor Panels & Presentations
  • Company Profiles
  • Magazine
  • Newsletter
  • Feature in The Assay
  • Book an Interview
  • 121 Mining Investment
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Partners

Please note: This Web site and The Assay magazine and the information and materials on this Web site and in The Assay magazine are not, and should not be construed as, an offer to buy or sell, or as a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, any regulated products, securities or investments. This Web site and The Assay Magazine do not, and should not be construed as acting to, sponsor, advocate, endorse or promote any regulated products, securities or investments. This Web site and The Assay magazine and the information and materials on this Web site and in The Assay magazine do not, and shall not be construed as, making any recommendation or providing any investment or other advice with respect to the purchase, sale or other disposition of any regulated products, securities or investments, including, without limitation, any advice to the effect that any mining or metals related transaction is appropriate or suitable for any investment objective or financial situation of a prospective investor. A decision to invest in any regulated products, securities or investments should not be made in reliance on any of the information or materials on this Web site or in The Assay magazine. Before making any investment decision, prospective investors should seek advice from appropriately qualified and licensed financial, legal, tax and accounting advisers, take into account their individual financial needs and circumstances and carefully consider the risks associated with such investment decision.

Privacy Notice
Cookies
Hong Kong Residents Privacy Statement

© 2025 The Assay