In recent weeks, Anglo American has set out the extensive support it is providing to its employees, host communities and countries of operation in its global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anglo American is continuing to provide a wide range of essential services in many communities, focused in those countries where the group operates, while also responding directly with additional support to help alleviate the health and economic effects of COVID-19.
Beyond the company’s breadth of support initiatives, Anglo American’s employees, Board directors and executive management are also contributing through personal donations to numerous charities and aid organisations.
Anglo American Chief Executive, Mark Cutifani, said: “Our wide-ranging efforts in response to this pandemic are directed at where support is most needed, very often in terms of basic services at the local community level in remote areas around our mines.
“We also recognise the extraordinary work of so many major charitable and aid organisations. Our employees ask us how they can best contribute financially, beyond the work that so many of them are already doing on the ground. The Anglo American Foundation has therefore set up a global programme to match employees’ personal donations – up to an initial aggregate value of $1 million, giving a total matched value of $2 million – to a number of local and global organisations.
“In the same spirit, Anglo American’s Board directors and Group Management Committee members have agreed to donate 30% of their fees or salaries for three months to their personal choice of COVID-19 related charities or funds.
“In recognition of particular hardships in South Africa, Anglo American and De Beers are today announcing additional donations of $2 million to South Africa’s Solidarity Fund that exists specifically to help address the impacts of COVID-19, and $1 million to the Oppenheimer family’s South African Future Trust that has been established to support small and medium-sized businesses through the crisis.
“We are continuing to identify additional areas for monetary and in-kind support that we can provide as conditions evolve – building on the $25 million value of our additional COVID-19 global relief donations and in-kind contributions to date across our host jurisdictions in southern Africa, the Americas, Australia, and the UK.
“We all applaud the heroic and selfless efforts of so many people – within our company and far beyond – to help others in times of human crisis. We are all endeavouring to play our part to address the health issues and hardships caused by the pandemic, but also to make sure our people are safe and our business is ready to support the economic recovery phase that will be so crucial in so many countries.”
For more information on Anglo American’s global response to COVID-19, please visit https://www.angloamerican.com/covid-19