While absolute results remain low overall, Vale shows one of the four stronger results in Economic Development and Lifecycle Management. In Economic Development, Vale’s results stem in part from its collaborative R&D work with producing country institutions on socio-economic and environmental issues related to mining. Vale also shows one of the stronger results on the issue of supporting STEM and technical and vocational skills development among the wider population in collaboration with in-country institutions. Vale’s results in Lifecycle Management stem in part from its stronger result on the issue of systems in place to identify potential ESG risks associated with mergers, acquisitions and disposals.

The company shows evidence of improvement since the RMI Report 2020, including a tax transparency report with statements on Vale’s presence in low-tax jurisdictions, improved disclosures on its implementation of progressive rehabilitation plans, and recent reviews of its procedures for evaluating human rights risks.

Vale is associated with a leading practice on diversity, that involves setting up an Ethnic-Racial Equity Affinity Group to promote discussion and propose practical actions on these aspects of diversity.

Vale’s results are above the average in all six thematic areas, reflecting its establishment of formalised commitments and company-wide systems on a range of issues. This includes, for example, measures to hold individual board directors and senior managers accountable for responsible business conduct on ESG issues, and public disclosure of information on its lobbying practices and the location and safety of its tailings storage facilities. On the other hand, the company’s overall results are limited by a lack of evidence of action on a number of issues. For example, Vale shows no evidence of disclosing the legal titles granting it the right to mine, or of tracking its performance in improving the quality of its relationships with affected communities. The company also shows a lack of evidence of systematic action to identify and address how climate change can exacerbate the impacts of its operations on its workforce, affected communities, and the environment.

Vale ranks 14th among the 40 companies on its mine-site-level results, with an average score of only 11% in the mine-site assessment. Moreover, three of the seven Vale mine sites assessed do not show any relevant evidence on nine of the fifteen issues covered in the assessment: local employment, air quality, water quality, water quantity, safety of communities, worker safety, women workers, worker training, and living wage.