Stewart Bailey, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer at AngloGold Ashanti, has underscored the company’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that mining operations in Ghana produce tangible benefits for local communities.
Speaking in an interview, Bailey outlined the mining giant’s vision of sustainable development built on the principles of shared value, economic inclusion, and long-term partnership with the Ghanaian people.
“We totally endorse the view that you need shared benefits from the development of this resource; without that, you jeopardise your entire license to operate. So let me be clear that it is something we totally support.”
Stewart Bailey, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer at AngloGold Ashanti
This clear statement highlighted a critical reality facing multinational mining companies today: the “social license to operate” is no longer a peripheral issue, but central to maintaining long-term viability.
For AngloGold Ashanti, which has operated in Ghana for decades, the focus on inclusive development is not just a corporate responsibility but a strategic imperative.
Bailey emphasized that AngloGold Ashanti’s strategy for community benefit is not just philanthropic, but structural.
A significant part of this approach, he explained, involves incorporating local businesses into the company’s supply chain, particularly in the upstream portion of the mining process.
This ensures that value is not only extracted from Ghana’s natural resources but also reinvested through job creation and business development.
“It is important that we make sure that our local communities not only are seen to benefit but see tangible benefits from those mines.
“So that starts with employment, making sure that wherever possible, we align local companies to provide those goods and services that we need to continue.”
Stewart Bailey, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer at AngloGold Ashanti
This focus on upstream integration points to a more sustainable economic model where mining becomes a driver for local industrialisation, entrepreneurship, and skills development.
Investing in local capacity, AngloGold Ashanti seeks to stimulate a broader economic ecosystem that extends beyond the mine site.
Long-Term Partnership with Ghana
Bailey was emphatic about AngloGold Ashanti’s enduring presence in Ghana, a country that has played a central role in the company’s global operations. He reiterated that the company’s strategy is rooted in long-term collaboration and mutual benefit.
“We’ve been here for decades, and we will be here for decades more.
“We need to be working with our partners in Ghana, and that is what we fully intend to do.”
Stewart Bailey, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer at AngloGold Ashanti
This long-term view reflects the company’s broader corporate sustainability strategy, which aligns with global ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards and Ghana’s own development priorities.
Positioning itself not just as a mining company but as a partner in national development, AngloGold Ashanti seeks to secure both its future and that of the communities it serves.
AngloGold Ashanti is not new to the concept of value sharing. Over the years, the company has pioneered initiatives that prioritise local hiring, supplier development, and infrastructure investment in its host communities.
Bailey pointed out that these commitments are part of the company’s long-standing ethos.
“AngloGold Ashanti has long been a leader in value sharing, ensuring that local businesses and workers play a significant role in the company’s operations.”
Stewart Bailey, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer at AngloGold Ashanti
Such initiatives include skills training programmes, educational partnerships, and support for community health systems, all of which contribute to a holistic model of sustainability.
The approach has helped build goodwill and foster resilient relationships between the company and the communities in which it operates.
AngloGold Ashanti’s message, as delivered by Stewart Bailey, is clear and compelling: the future of mining in Ghana must be inclusive, responsible, and community-centered.
The company’s commitment to shared value, local participation, and long-term partnership sets a strong example for others in the sector.
As Ghana continues to position its natural resource industries as levers for socio-economic development, companies like AngloGold Ashanti will play a pivotal role in shaping a mining sector that benefits not just shareholders, but society as a whole.
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