The Family of Companies is committed to sustainable development as an integral part of the way we do business.
Our business strategy is about growth and expansion in a responsible and sustainable manner. It requires us to deliver financial returns and address sustainability issues.
Delivering financial returns means increasing the demand for diamonds, finding new supplies of diamonds, and enhancing our value-added services including sorting and sales.
Addressing sustainability issues means enhancing our relationship with host and partner governments, building consumer confidence in diamonds, and ensuring our activities contribute positively to the livelihoods of both present and future generations.
Our understanding of sustainability is shaped by the societal imperatives of the countries where we work. This includes the vision of an ever more prosperous Africa.
Detailed accounts of our management systems and performance in these areas are presented in the Operating and Financial Review 2007 and in our Report to Society 2007.
The financial review provides insight into our operational performance, future production opportunities and organisational change.
The report to society addresses sustainability issues relevant and material to our key stakeholders in the area of economics, ethics, employees, communities and environment.
It includes information from owned and managed business as well as our joint venture partnerships with government such as Debswana and Namdeb.
Together these reports detail our contribution to national development goals and sustainable development in the different countries in which we operate.
They account for how we are “living up to diamonds”.
Diamond Trading Company South Africa
Economics
Payments to partners, joint ventures and suppliers amounted to US$4.9 billion (2006: US$ 4.6 billion).
About US$3.2 billion of this was paid for diamonds in Africa (2006: US$3.2 billion).
See our approach to economics >
Ethics
All diamonds sold by De Beers are 100% conflict free. Compliance with the Kimberley Process and system of warranties for 2007 was verified by Deloitte & Touche.
In April 2008, the Federal District Court in New Jersey verbally indicated that it would approve settlement of class actions in the United States involving De Beers.
See our approach to ethics >
Employees
Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) improved to 0.18 (2006: 0.18) and Lost Time Injury Severity Rate (LTISR) improved to 22.53 (2006: 37.89).
Our "Vision of zeros" seeks zero new HIV infections in employees or partners, zero babies born with HIV/AIDS from treated mothers; and zero deaths from HIV/AIDS.
See our approach to employees >
Communities
We piloted the Anglo American Socio-Economic Assessment Toolbox at our Venetia mine and developed a comprehensive Social Impact Assessment Guideline.
Our social investment spend of US$19 million was disbursed to more than 750 different projects (2006: US$16.4 million). This equates to 2% of pre-tax profit (2006: 1.9%) and an average spend of 1.7% between 2005 to 2007 (US$16.3 million). About US$15.1 million (79.5%) of this US$19 million was disbursed to projects in Africa.
See our approach to communities >
Environment
ISO 14001 is in place at all of our major mining operations.
More than 185 000 hectares (ha) of our owned and managed property is set aside as nature reserves that conduct research on biodiversity.
See our approach to environment >