Sustainability Report - Leighton Asia

Recognise the needs of the coLeighton Asia will develop long-term communitysponsorships, promote our brand, prioritise localemployment, take the initiative, and engage withour communities.PracticeLeighton Asia understands that wherever we operate we areguests of the local community and recognise that we haveobligations to the respective community and therefore take asocially responsible approach to business. The company goesto great lengths to develop long-term community sponsorshipswhilst at the same time promoting our brand and prioritisinglocal employment and engaging with our communities.We endeavour to minimise the impact of our work on localcommunities and the surrounding environment. We are alsosensitive to different cultures, languages and religious beliefsof the communities in which we operate and incorporatecommunity relations into our project planning process, whilealso identifying and addressing the concerns of local communities.We actively encourage communication and consultation withthe local communities affected by our operations and supportlocal charities and community groups through sponsorshipsand donations where possible and appropriate. Moreover, weencourage and promote each employee adhering to thisapproach and by doing so, we are able to ensure we make apositive contribution to the communities in which we work.very small business groups. Through the Department, LeightonAsia makes sure participants get proper training to improve theirskills, in marketing and in product development. These projectsare starting to show positive results and some of the productsproduced have already been displayed at a trade fairs in Manilastaged in conjunction with the Department of Trade and Industry.The Department of Trade and Industry and the local governmentof Albay in recognition of this endeavour presented Leightonwith an award.During the construction of the Rapu Rapu Process Plant, Leightonassisted a small group of trained welders from a previouslycompleted project to turn a farm dwelling into a welding shopthat supplied prefabricated stainless steel pipe spools to theproject. This welding shop has since project completiondeveloped in a government-accredited welder training facility.Leighton Asia acts as a responsible corporate citizen in allcountries where it operates and takes corporate socialresponsibility as a priority.Social responsibility improves livesLeighton Asia recognised that there was a need for the peopleof the Bicol Region adjacent to their Rapu Rapu Mine site tocapitalise on indigenous skills and to use readily available localraw materials to make products which they could sell and earnmoney to support their families.The company went beyond making small grants to local peopleto improve their standard of living and actively encourages thedevelopment of small businesses in the region and assisted withlogistics of training and hauling goods to market.In association with the Philippines Department of Trade andIndustry, Leighton Asia has started training schemes for seven14