Initiatives to support communities

Aboriginal peoples participate in Vale’s decision makingon matters that could affect them in Australia. At meetings organized by the company, representatives of Aboriginal groups take part in discussions and present their needs.

Vale also encourages Aboriginal people to participate in all parts of its operations. The aim is to establish constructive and mutually beneficial relationships.

We are working to establish positive dialogue between Vale employees and contractors at the Onça Puma ferronickel operation, in the state of Pará, and the ethnic group that inhabits the region.

Besides providing training for employees and contractors working at the operation, we run projects to bring together different ethnic groups and reduce prejudice. For example, in the Reading in the Square (“Leitura na Praça”) project, we invite non-indigenous people to listen to stories told by Kayapó warriors, chiefs and children.

We have also provided resources to build a Support House for Traveling Indians, an important support center for Kayapó who are away from their village.

We held meetings with indigenous leaders to formally request authorization to begin operating the Onça Puma ferronickel project. We invited Xikrinleaders to visit the facilities and we assured them that there will be no harm to water quality and biodiversity.

In partnership with the Brazilian government, we dug new artisanal wells to supply the community with water.

We also provided training for Vale employees and contractors working at the project, in partnership with the National Indian Foundation (Funai).

Our activities to support this people, who inhabit areas close to our operations in the state of Minas Gerais, include installing dairy farming infrastructure, training people and acquiring 600 cows, in accordance with a legal settlement.

At Christmas, gifts were given to Krenak children as part of a Vale Volunteers initiative.

In line with our principle of promoting local culture, we are supporting a project to teach the Parkatêjê language to indigenous children and adults in the state of Pará. This initiative is part of a project supported by Vale to preserve and celebrate the culture of the Gavião-Parkatêjê people, which involves recording the people’s history, as told by their leader, Krôhôkrenhum, as well as workshops to train indigenous researchers.

We are also supporting the construction of a cultural center to display the work produced by bilingual workshops.

Through our Aboriginal Peoples Engagement Program in Canada, we identify the needs and interests of indigenous communities directly or indirectly affected by our operations. In 2010, the program was extended and an Aboriginal Affairs Manager was appointed.

Aboriginal leaders also participate in discussions about commercial and sustainability issues relevant to Vale and the community.

Vale and the Kanak people signed a Sustainable Development Pact for the Southern Region, which established an Environmental Customary Consultation Committee, to guarantee the participation of indigenous leaders in environmental monitoring of the company’s operation. The pact also provides for the creation of a reforestation association.

We are also supporting a project to revitalize the Kanak people’s language, which is less and less spoken by the people’s children. In partnership with the public authorities, Vale developed educational materials, such as posters, to help teach the names of food and objects in the native language.