BSR Insight Articles About Mining

The Economic Implications of Resource Scarcity

Linda Hwang, Former Manager, Research

Last week in Toronto, Canada, the World Economic Forum hosted a roundtable on the role of capital and investment in shaping the future of natural resource availability. Participants from mining, agriculture, government, and the investment community discussed how corporate responsibility—and issues such as transparency and local economic development in particular—have created additional costs associated with resource extraction, distribution, and consumption. In particular, attendees emphasized the importance of investing in people to increase their CSR knowledge. Read more →

Posted: August 2, 2011 | Topics: Food, Beverage & Agriculture, Mining, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain

Why Is Living Wage So Complex?

Roger McElrath, Manager, Advisory Services

Ever since the United Nations adopted its new human rights framework, companies have had an added impetus to ensure that the treatment of their employees, workers in supply chain partners, and people in local communities is just and in accordance with international standards. Read more →

Posted: August 2, 2011 | Topics: Consumer Products, Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, Energy, Financial Services, Food, Beverage & Agriculture, Health Care, Mining, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain, Transportation, Travel & Tourism

Social Impact Assessments Help Companies Manage Risks and Opportunities

Alison Colwell, Associate Director, Advisory Services

With growing stakeholder expectations and increasingly complex operating environments, leading companies recognize the need for a more comprehensive approach to understanding and managing project risks and opportunities that moves beyond regulatory requirements. Social impact assessments (SIA)—the process of analyzing, monitoring, and managing social issues such as resettlement and access to water—can help companies reduce risks, enhance operational decision-making, improve stakeholder relations, maximize community benefits, and secure a company’s license to operate. Read more →

Posted: June 28, 2011 | Topics: Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, Energy, Human Rights, Mining, Supply Chain, Water

Explore Our Impact: Videos

Take a deeper dive into the BSR Report 2010 and core areas of our work in video clips that provide personal perspective from BSR staff members. Read more →

Posted: June 7, 2011 | Topics: Community Engagement & Development, Conflict Minerals, Economic Development, Ecosystem Services, Energy, Investor Perspective, Mining, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain

Building Effective Local Content Strategies

Jessica Davis Pluess, Manager, Research

BSR's new report highlights some of the challenges and opportunities extractives companies face in building local content programs that drive commercial value and deliver sustainable local development benefits in countries where they operate. Read more →

Posted: March 29, 2011 | Topics: Community Engagement & Development, Economic Development, Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, Energy, Human Rights, Mining, Stakeholder Relations, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain