INVESTIGATING WATER DISCLOSURE PRACTISES IN THE PLATINUM MINING INDUSTRY

Abstract

Increased population growth and urbanisation have led to signifi cant stress on natural resources, in particular water resources. Various mining-related operations, especially in the platinum industry, are located in underdeveloped and remote areas, leading to unsustainable water management practices. The objective of this article is to investigate the disclosure of water practices within the platinum mining industry.A disclosure index was developed based on researched literature, mainly about standards set out in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework. The research methodology involved implementing content analysis, applied to the water disclosures in integrated and sustainability reports of platinum mining companies.The developed disclosure index results focused on three pillars: compliance to the GRI guidelines, diff erent frameworks used, and risks factors. The total level of compliance towards the GRI guidelines for the diff erent platinum mining companies indicated that only 42% complied, 16% partial compliance, and 32% displayed no compliance. The compliance between the various companies indicated a substantial diff erence between full compliance and low levels of compliance. Two risk factors, physical and regulatory risks, were identifi ed as the main items to be reported on.It is recommended that a standardised framework be developed and implemented by platinum mining companies to improve comparability and transparency within the industry.