The JSE has once again declared Exxaro as a "best performer" in the Social Responsibility Index. This is an honour awarded to only 22 listed companies in South Africa, including low-impact non-mining companies. This year’s assessment covered not only a social and governance threshold, but also a higher climate change threshold and a newly introduced environmental performance threshold.

Mr Ramesh Chhagan Exxaro’s manager responsible for risk and sustainable development after the announcements of the results in Durban earlier said that “This is wonderful news. It is a great reward for all the hard work we have put into the issue of sustainability.”

Mr Chhagan said that Exxaro’s sustainability strategy is aimed at addressing South Africa’s development needs and integrating social, environmental and governance concerns with its business activities.

“For Exxaro, sustainability or ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs’ means ensuring that we do not undermine the capacity of the natural environment to provide services and that we do not contribute to instability in the communities in which we operate. Our objective is long-term sustainability for the benefit of all our stakeholders who include our employees, our shareholders, our communities and future generations of South Africans.”

“Annually, we provide 30 disadvantaged school-leavers entry to our bridging program and thereafter grant more than 20 bursaries to school leavers interested in engineering and technical disciplines to further their education objectives. Our artisan skills development programme provides training to community members and we currently have more than 100 Exxaro bursars studying at South African institutions. Exxaro sponsors three university chairs with the aim of promoting research, training and advocacy in the areas of climate change, sustainability and biodiversity.”

These include the Chair in Global Change and Sustainability at Wits University, the Chair in Business and Climate Change at Unisa and the Chair in Business and Biodiversity at the University of Pretoria.

With regard to environmental sustainability, Exxaro is implementing a best practice energy and water management program through-out the organization, and addressing the issue of air quality, waste and biodiversity. Exxaro’s mine rehabilitation policy is aimed at optimising mine rehabilitation from feasibility stage through to closure.