At Macarthur Coal, we recognise the importance of and are committed to establishing and maintaining strong relationships with the communities within which we operate.

To demonstrate commitment in achieving and maintaining our objectives, we will:

1.	Engage and communicate with community representatives, government bodies, non-government organisations, local authorities and other stakeholders on issues that affect them
2.	Allow for the different cultures, lifestyles, heritage and preferences of the communities in which we operate
3.	Respect the rights of traditional owners and value the indigenous cultural heritage associated with our operations
4.	Provide adequate resources, support and training to our people who have responsibilities for community-related activities to ensure that our staff are appropriately resourced, supported and skilled
5.	Consult with and actively involve employees, contractors and other stakeholders to maximise the effectiveness of our policies, standards, procedures and work practices
6.	Establish mechanisms to keep personnel informed and to provide for open communication.
7.	Support appropriate projects and regularly review our contribution to social and economic development using the following criteria to select projects: • Educational initiatives – including initiatives to address the resource sector skills shortage • Programs which support and develop opportunities and initiatives for children • Community development and assistance • Charities and/or services which impact on the communities within which Macarthur Coal operates.

See Sponsorship for further information on guidelines.

The Company’s policies will be reviewed from time to time to ensure they remain in accordance with statutory and corporate requirements, encourage best practice, and drive overall planning, implementation and continuous improvement processes.