How our Kinsevere operation approaches participatory planning

Strong community engagement from exploration through to closure is critical to making business decisions that are responsive to the needs and expectations of host communities and governments. 

MMG aspires to be a trusted member of each of the communities that host our operations. Our ambition is to develop partnerships based on regular and open dialogue, transparency and mutual respect. 

Since early 2013, Kinsevere has been undertaking participatory planning sessions to increase local stakeholder involvement in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of social projects. This process helps Kinsevere maintain and improve its social licence to operate with host communities around the operation. 

In 2018, a three-year community development plan was established with communities, which is reviewed in each planning meeting and progress is reported by all participants.  

A large group of stakeholders from 26 villages near Kinsevere, including over 100 community members, local government officials and NGOs, are invited to attend the two-day community consultation sessions. MMG representatives include participants from human resources, security and environmental management departments, who also provide updates on the progress of plans. Discussion topics include job opportunities, environmental issues such as charcoal-making and the presence of wild dogs, MMG concession encroachment and relocation strategies and security issues around Kinsevere such as illegal artisanal mining and theft on the mining lease.  

Local NGO Centrale de Libération par les Coopératives pour le Développement was invited to facilitate the process, and they prepare reports with key recommendations and validated community development plans for the following year. The feedback received during these sessions helps the operation to improve social development initiatives and ensure community agreement from the earliest stages of project development. The three-year plan also supported compliance with the new mining code and the additional commitments made by the operation, local government officials and communities.  

This participatory planning process has successfully improved communication between communities and Kinsevere, and increased the participation of impacted communities in MMG’s social development projects.