State of CSR in the Zimbabwean mining sector

Alexandra Mliswa

Corporate social responsibility (CSR)was re-popularised on a global level at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

CSR is a business management concept obliging companies to play a positive role in the communities where they operate and consider the social and environmental impact of their operations.

Zimbabwe was not left behind; the country saw corporates join forces to assist their employees and communities in challenging times.

While the pandemic has begun to dissipate, CSR continues to grow in popularity in Zimbabwe.

You do not have to look far to see companies publicising their good deeds wherever and whenever they can, always sure to label it “CSR” – just in case we miss it.

A lot of the CSR activity has been seen in the mining sector.

This comes as no surprise due to the inherently destructive and disruptive nature of mining operations.

For mining companies, the question that arises is whether their CSR activities consider the social and environmental impact of their operations.

Community development is one of the duties they are expected to perform. They have another obligation – minimising the harmful effects of their operations.

A mining company may sponsor a soccer team but this will not help minimise the negative effect of water and air pollution caused by its operations.

CSR in Zimbabwe is not being viewed holistically.

The environmental context is not being taken into account when measuring CSR activities being undertaken by mining companies.

CSR projects and initiatives by some mining companies may not necessarily be impactful or working towards a sustainable future for the communities they operate in.

However, it would be unfair to attribute all the blame on mining companies.

With council service delivery being poor, companies come under pressure to chip in.

They can assist in refuse collection in residential areas or in repairing water infrastructure, which strains resources that could be directed towards minimising the negative effects of their operations.

The time to have a mining industry- specific framework to measure CSR in the  Zimbabwean context is now.

This can help guide the companies in their efforts to ensure impactful and meaningful CSR activities, which, if done properly, can contribute to development in mining communities.

A good starting point would be looking at the green mining model.

Green mining is centred on resource sustainability, environmental sensitivity and socio-economic benefits.

This is an all-encompassing approach to implementing CSR activities because it allows us to assess the activities in light of their operations.

It allows for measured and guided CSR efforts.

While some aspects of green mining may be difficult to implement in Zimbabwe, educating the public and the private sector on this concept, along with other existing guidelines like ISO 26000:2010 and GRI reporting standards, can assist in creating a Zimbabwean framework that mining companies can use in the formulation of their CSR strategies.

In addition, such a framework would enable Government and civil society to meaningfully monitor and measure their activities.

Given the rapidly growing mining industry in Zimbabwe, we need to educate both the public and the private sector on best practices to create legislative and policy interventions that ensure communities benefit sustainably.