Absolute results are low overall and Fortescue’s results are largely dependent on the formal commitments it has made on preventing bribery and corruption, respecting human rights, and ensuring safe and healthy working conditions. The company’s results also rely in part on its systematic approach to supporting the development of technical and vocational skills among the local population around its operations, and its public disclosure of information on the location and safety of its tailings storage facilities along with other companies, following the recent investor request.

Fortescue ranks 24th among the 38 companies on its mine-site-level results, with an average score of only 6% in the mine-site assessment.

Fortescue is associated with several leading practices, including its formalised leadership development programme for Aboriginal employees in Australia.

In the company-wide assessment, Fortescue’s results are below the average across all 38 companies in all six thematic areas, and the company’s results are limited by a lack of evidence of action on a number of key issues. For example, the company shows no evidence of disclosing the payments it makes to subnational and national government, or of taking measures to hold board directors and senior managers accountable for responsible business conduct on ESG issues. Likewise, the company shows no evidence of tracking, reviewing or acting to improve its performance on managing its energy consumption.

Moreover, the overall results of the three Fortescue mine sites included in the mine-site assessment are strikingly weak. None of these three mine sites show any relevant evidence on eight of the ten issues covered in the mine-site assessment: local employment, local procurement, community grievances, worker grievances, air quality, water quality and quantity, and emergency preparedness.