As a proudly Namibian company, Rössing Uranium accepts its corporate citizenship duties and recognises that its continuing operations are based on its ability to maintain its mining permits and licences and to secure access to land, people and capital. It uses a combination of economic, social, environmental and technical expertise to harness these resources and create reciprocated prosperity for its stakeholders.
The objective of Rössing’s social investment programme is to:
- Maintain and enhance Rössing’s social license to operate
- Promote its community and social investment projects
- Collaborate with The Rössing Foundation on identified community projects
- Identify smart partnerships to enable long-term benefits
- Clearly define mutual community interest that enhances Rössing’s business case
The company recognises that it has social, cultural, and environmental responsibilities to the community in which it operates, as well as at regional and national levels. This recognition works in tandem with an appreciation for our economic responsibility towards our stakeholders and shareholders in order to establish and maintain sustainable success for the organisation.
Rössing’s social investment focuses on the following priority areas, which are reviewed and updated annually:
a) HSE
b) Education
c) Economic support
d) Youth and sport
Investments made in our communities
Honouring our corporate social responsibilities, Rössing Uranium supported the Rössing Foundation and other community initiatives with an investment of over N$41 million in 2023 compared to N$29.4 million during 2022. Of this amount, N$38 million went to the Rössing Foundation, and about N$3 million was in-kind and cash contributions to worthy community initiatives.
Our Communities and Social Performance activities under “The Bigger-Than-MeProject”, which involve multi-sectoral collaborators, took place at J.P. Brandt Primary School (Utuseb settlement).
This programme supports the following Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”):
Infrastructure support
Collaborators:
- Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology (“NIMT”)
- Rent-A-Drum (“R-A-D”)
- Rapha Counselling & Consulting Services
Rössing Uranium supported J.P. Brandt Primary School with:
- Renovations of the Grades 5 to 7 girls’ and boys’ dormitories. NIMT was contracted to do the construction work on the project and R-A-D supported with transporting pallets for use in the construction.
- The dormitories were painted, floor skirtings and ceilings were installed, and doors were installed on eight rooms.
- Painting and installing a ceiling in the dining hall and kitchen.
- Installing an extractor fan in the kitchen.
- Moving the geyser from under the roof to the side of the building for ease of access.
- Rapha Counselling & Consulting Services donated curtains for the dining hall windows.
World Environment Day
Collaborators:
- Environmental club from J.P. Brandt Primary School
- NIMT
- R-A-D
An existing vegetable garden was supported in that seedlings were procured, a water tank connected to a new irrigation system, and raised beddings were installed. The premise for the garden is to serve as a resource for the learners and to support the hostel kitchen with fresh vegetables.
NaDEET Excursion
Rössing took high performing learners from J.P. Brandt Primary School to the NaDEET Centre in the NamibRand, firstly as a reward for good academic performance, and secondly to have them learn and live for a week in a manner that supports sustainable development, therefore nurturing values for life in a finite environment. Learners are taught about responsible life on land as it relates to energy use, waste management and our activities in nature. Our Rössing Brand Ambassadors accompanied the learners, which also provided them with an opportunity to conduct some life skills sessions with the learners and provide career guidance.
Protective Behaviours Programme
In collaboration with Rapha Counselling, a programme focused on raising awareness about keeping children safe from physical and mental abuse was rolled out among learners, teachers and parents. The Protective Behaviours Programme support at J.P. Brandt was for the Grades 5 to 7 learners. The school’s teachers, having gone through the training for onsite facilitators, opted to do all grades at the school. On 25 November 2023, these learners and their parents had a joint session and graduated from the full programme.
Lived Legacy Group
Collaborators:
- Four retired Rössing employees with their spouses
- Two current Rössing employees
- One ex-Rössing Foundation employee
- One current stakeholder from Cosdec Swakopmund – who is also an alumni of J.P. Brandt Primary School
In support of the “A Lived Legacy” book in which Rössing’s socio-economic footprint was documented from 1976 to 2021, a Lived Legacy Group was established on the premise of a “pay-it-forward” concept that garners support from ex and current Rössing stakeholders. The group will have an activity each year until 2026 in support of the concept of a legacy that is lived by all involved in Rössing’s communities and social performance activities. The 2023 activity involved planting trees and scrubs in the renovated dormitories and painting the revamped equipment in the playground at the school.
STAKEHOLDER
ENGAGEMENT
As a proudly Namibian company, Rössing Uranium accepts its corporate citizenship duties and recognises that its continuing operations are based on its ability to maintain its mining permits and licences and to secure access to land, people and capital. It uses a combination of economic, social, environmental and technical expertise to harness these resources and create reciprocated prosperity for its stakeholders.
Our stakeholders
Rössing has a broad range of key stakeholders such as shareholders, Board of Directors, employees, Government, regulators, customers, suppliers, contractors, media and community.
Our communication approach is focused on:
- Identifying stakeholders and interested parties and mapping them according to their importance and influence
- Being proactive, transparent, and genuinely keen to engage with all company stakeholders
- Identifying “win-win” strategies
- Tailoring communications to discreet audiences according to their need for information
- Ensuring communications contain consistent core messages
- Designing communications using fact-based information and delivering messages openly and regularly
- Consistently asking for feedback and involvement
- Establishing, developing and maintaining good relationships with identified strategic stakeholders
During 2023, Rössing Uranium maintained regular engagements with key stakeholders.
Internal stakeholders
Employees are one of our key stakeholders. As such, regular engagements were held and employees were kept abreast about corporate matters via the following communication channels:
- MD roadshows
- MD monthly report
- Rӧssing e-Bulletin newsletter, newsflashes, employee briefs
- Mobile employee app
- Bulk SMS
- Departmental meetings
- TV information screens
- Family mine tours
External engagement
Various high-level delegations were hosted on site throughout the year, ranging from visits by the leadership of Rössing’s majority shareholder CNNC and its subsidiaries, Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, ministers, regulators, Namibia’s Ambassador to Vienna (Austria), Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources and the Mine Workers Union of Namibia leadership team.
Mining expo
Rössing Uranium received the CoM Inter-mine Safety Competition Award for operating mines (Category 1: Division A) during the annual CoM Expo where Rössing proudly showcased its 47 years’ legacy of “Working for Namibia” and engaged various stakeholders who visited the stand on its future plans following the approval of the LoME Project to 2036.
Chamber of Mines Inter-mine Sports Games
Rössing was the proud host of the CoM Inter-mine Sports Games held in Swakopmund. The event saw over 20 mining companies and business partners participating in various sport codes ranging from soccer, volleyball, netball, golf, darts, pool, chess and a fun relay with over 1,500 spectators during the three-day sports extravaganza. Rössing Uranium scooped three trophies, in soccer active, pool and golf and emerged as the overall winner of the 2023 CoM Inter-mine Sports Games.
