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Operating ethically

Operating ethically and responsibly is essential to fulfilling our purpose, delivering on our strategy and building strong, trusting relationships with our stakeholders. We are committed to the highest standards of integrity and accountability, respecting human rights and applying responsible business practices across our value chain.

Learn more in our 2024 Sustainable Development Report

Modern Slavery

Modern Slavery

Respecting human rights and addressing the risks of modern slavery across our operations and supply chains is not only the right thing to do, it’s fundamental to the way we do business. We expect our people and our business partners to comply with lawful business practices and applicable South32 policies, standards, procedures and processes, as relevant to the work they are performing for us, including our approach to modern slavery.  

Our approach and activities to manage the risk of modern slavery across our supply chain are detailed in our annual Modern Slavery Statement, prepared in response to the Australian Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth) and the United Kingdom’s Modern Slavery Act 2015. 

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Ethics and business integrity

Ethics and business integrity

We are committed to the highest standards of integrity and accountability. Our values and Code of Business Conduct, guide how we act, work and communicate and set the standards of conduct that we expect.

We encourage our people to speak up when our values and standards of conduct are not being followed. Our Speak Up Policy, which is our global whistleblower policy, outlines how to report a business conduct concern, what happens when a report is made and how we protect the reporter. 

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Human rights

Human rights

We recognise that our activities have the potential to cause adverse impacts to people’s human rights. We therefore have a responsibility to manage human rights risks to people across our operations and business relationships, with a particular focus on risks to vulnerable, marginalised and at-risk groups, including Indigenous, Traditional and Tribal Peoples.
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Responsible value chain

Responsible value chain

We seek to apply responsible business practices throughout our value chain by sourcing responsibly and enhancing product stewardship. Our aim is to build strong, mutually beneficial relationships with stakeholders and to work with suppliers and customers whose values and conduct align with ours.

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Cyber Security

Cyber security breaches are a material risk to our business. Our proactive approach includes identifying and assessing risks, and taking steps to reduce the likelihood and impacts of an incident.

Our Group-wide cyber security program is designed to uplift capability and reduce exposure to cyber threats through effective controls. The controls we implement are designed and operated in alignment with the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework, an international best practice standard for information security controls. Continuous monitoring and periodic reporting occur through pre-defined metrics that measure the performance of security controls.

We engage independent auditors annually to review the adequacy of our cyber security risk management system and information security controls. Critical cyber security controls are also periodically assessed through a comprehensive stewardship program.

Cyber security awareness training is mandatory for all employees and select contractors on joining South32 and annually thereafter. We provide additional targeted cyber security training to identified high-risk roles.

The Board’s Risk and Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing our management of the cyber security and reviewing the effectiveness of systems and processes for detecting, reporting and responding to cybersecurity and information loss risks. The Committee receives bi-annual reports on our information security risk management plan and control maturity levels. 

Key documents

Our stories

Helping small businesses thrive in South Africa

Helping small businesses thrive in South Africa

Our Hillside Aluminium team recently reopened their Enterprise and Supplier Development Centre, a facility that supports local small and medium sized businesses through mentoring, training and networking opportunities.
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Hillside partners with Solana Energy to boost sustainable energy

Hillside partners with Solana Energy to boost sustainable energy

Our Hillside Aluminium operation has partnered with Solana Energy to bring sustainable energy to one of South Africa’s most important commercial hubs. 
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HMM supports entrepreneurs to establish local manufacturing plant

HMM supports entrepreneurs to establish local manufacturing plant

Our work with SMMEs on Enterprise and Supplier Development supports economic and social transformation in South Africa.

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Related information

Sustainability approach

Our approach to sustainability focuses on areas that are material to our business and stakeholders.

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Our people

We are committed to working together safely, creating an environment where our people are supported to speak up, and building an inclusive and diverse workforce.

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Climate change

We are preparing our business for the global energy transition, meeting our climate change commitments and achieving a just transition for our people, our business and our communities.

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Community and society

Adding meaningful contributions to people’s lives by creating lasting social, environmental and economic value.

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Environment

We are committed to protecting natural resources including water, biodiversity, air and surrounding ecosystems.

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Sustainability reporting

We measure our sustainability performance against international standards and initiatives.

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