Employee engagement

An environment where people can develop positive working relationships with colleagues.

Employees are encouraged to create and maintain good working relationships with their team, demonstrate the organisation's values through their own behaviour, and encourage open two-way communication.

Rio Tinto's global code of conduct, The way we work was relaunched in late 2009 providing employees and contractors with a renewed direction of the business focus and restating our commitment to our people and sustainable development.

Our Speak Out programme provides employees and contractors with an independent and confidential means of reporting issues such as harassment, unfair treatment or unethical practice in the business, and communicating ideas.

An employee assistance programme is offered across our business and provides free, independent confidential counselling for employees and their immediate family on issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, interpersonal relationship issues, financial and legal counselling.

During 2009 Rio Tinto carried out an extensive global employee engagement survey to gather opinions and seek feedback on leader communication, employment and conditions satisfaction and understanding of business plans and priorities.

Rio Tinto Coal Australia received a 65 per cent response rate to the survey which found that generally levels of engagement were good. Employees indicated that the business needs to improve communication about the work it does with the community, on the overall business priorities and plan and continue to develop our leadership capability.

Each site has an action plan which addresses specific issues raised.