Through regular engagement and social research, we seek to understand the expectations, concerns, aspirations and interests of the communities potentially affected by our operated assets and identify their areas of priority. We recognise the significance of two-way dialogue in highlighting concerns and perspectives. A core element of our approach is considering various stakeholder and partner perspectives. 

By assessing the social, economic, political, security and environmental factors affecting communities, we aim to identify and monitor emerging social trends, better manage potential social impacts and risks (including reputational risks) associated with our operations and contribute to social value. We work with communities to identify social needs and how we can better use existing resources. We then partner with appropriate organisations to deliver community projects and monitor progress and performance consistently. 

We engage regularly with investors, civil society, communities, Indigenous stakeholders, human rights experts and industry associations to enhance our understanding of current social expectations, trends and perceptions relating to human rights and the real or perceived impacts of our activities on communities where we operate. We also engage with other industry participants to understand our collective impact and how to more effectively address it together.

Responding to stakeholder concerns and access to remedy 

BHP recognises the nature of our business activities can create impacts on and concerns amongst communities. All our operated assets are required to have a complaints and grievance mechanism that meets criteria in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (Article 31, Effectiveness Criteria for Non-Judicial Grievance Mechanisms). This is aimed at ensuring all mechanisms: 

• are scaled to the country context, risks and potential adverse impacts 
• address concerns promptly 
• use an understandable and transparent process that is culturally appropriate and readily accessible to all segments of the affected communities 
• undertake appropriate remedial actions where a complaint is legitimate 
• are available without retribution 
• do not impede access to judicial or administrative remedies   

In addition to our operational-level complaints and grievance mechanisms, our channels to raise misconduct concerns, including any human rights concerns comprise an online portal and 24-hour confidential, multilingual call service that is accessible to all, including external stakeholders and the public, to report conduct that may be unethical, illegal or inconsistent with Our Code of Conduct. 

Complaints, grievances and community or human rights impact events are recorded in BHP’s event management system. The system includes categories for community complaints and grievances relating to amenity, behaviour, human rights and Indigenous peoples’ rights, including cultural heritage matters.

Any entries relating to Our Code of Conduct breaches are required to be referred for manual review by our Ethics and Investigations team. 

Land tenure and use  

BHP seeks to identify customary owners, occupiers and users of land where we intend to operate. Knowing how the land is used and who is connected to the land means people potentially affected can be made aware of our activities and have an opportunity to express their concerns and aspirations. 

Contributing to an equitable change transition  

We recognise changes in our business, ranging across the mining life cycle, can have significant and sometimes disproportionate effects on communities where we operate. We also recognise these same communities are navigating broader shifts in the global economy, such as the energy transition and digital disruption, and the scope and nature of these transitions will continue to evolve. 

We are committed to working with communities we are a part of in periods of change and transition to achieve long-term mutual value. Our approach will be grounded in our existing strategies, policies and frameworks in relation to our people, the environment, communities and other stakeholders and partners. The interconnection of these policies and frameworks¹ aims to ensure change and transitions are equitable and deliberately considered across the lifecycle of our business and for the communities where we operate. 

Our approach to equitable change and transitions will: 

• Recognise our responsibility to our workforce: Where a major change in our business is expected to affect our workforce, we will engage in meaningful dialogue and support those impacted. 
• Create opportunity for meaningful engagement and co-designed processes: We will seek to develop relationships with stakeholders and partners, including government, local businesses, community members, suppliers, Indigenous peoples and workers, that support understanding of the issues and co-creation of solutions. We will communicate transparently on the types of changes the business needs to make and enable active participation of those most impacted. 
• Recognise the impacts associated with gender, land connectedness and social and economic vulnerability: We will not assume all people are affected similarly. We will seek to understand how impacts may be differently experienced, including for Indigenous peoples, and recognise plans and solutions must take into account the particular strengths of each community and tackle the unique impacts they experience.  
• Recognise the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development are inter-related: We will aim to avoid or mitigate adverse environmental impacts of change and transitions, while pursuing opportunities to build climate resilience and environmentally sustainable communities.

Given change and transitions will involve multiple actors, we will seek to be a catalyst to bring people together and use our relationships to advocate for equitable change and transitions in line with the above principles. 

¹ These include our Indigenous Peoples Policy Statement, social value framework, Inclusion and Diversity Statement, climate change strategy, approach to the environment, closure strategy, Human Rights Policy Statement, and approach to community engagement.