RIO TINTO PLC (RIO)

Rio Tinto is a mining and metals group that explores for, extracts and processes mineral resources. It reports under Form 20-F and is a member of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM). The text provided is mainly its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) section, covering safety, climate, water, biodiversity, communities, human rights and diversity. The group says it has 30 operating assets and more than 50 operating sites. It prioritised 28 of the 30 operating assets for third-party validation against the ICMM Performance Expectations.

The group is organised around four product groups: Iron Ore, Aluminium, Copper and Minerals. Specific operations mentioned include the Pilbara iron ore operations in Western Australia. They also include aluminium operations in Gladstone, Queensland, and an ilmenite mine near Havre-Saint-Pierre in Quebec, Canada. Richards Bay Minerals in South Africa is also named. The text notes tailings and waste rock facilities at its aluminium and copper sites, and refining assets are part of the validated asset base.

The group operates across several countries, including Australia, Canada and South Africa, often in ecologically and culturally sensitive areas and alongside Indigenous Peoples and local communities. It reports targets for local supplier spend, cultural heritage co-management, social investment and Indigenous leadership in Australia. In 2024 it sourced 14.75% of contestable spend from suppliers local to its operations. The text says it does not explore or extract within UNESCO World Heritage sites and does not undertake deep-sea mining.

Operationally, ESG oversight sits with the Board's Sustainability Committee, and the Board oversees climate change directly. The group applies Environmental Performance Standards across its business units from exploration through to post-closure, and uses a water risk framework. Its Pilbara dewatering activities are assessed as a very high water risk. It has targets to cut Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 15% by 2025 and 50% by 2030 against 2018 levels, and to reach net zero by 2050. In 2024 it recorded five fatalities at managed operations. Women made up 25.2% of its workforce. KPMG is its auditor and provided limited assurance on selected sustainability matters.