SDG 4: Quality Education

There is an expectation that the private sector can and should play a significant role in promoting and supporting the delivery of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This SDG calls for expanded access to quality education at all levels—before and beyond primary school—and equitable access to technical and vocational training to support decent work and enterprise development.

Perceptions of unequal benefit-sharing can fuel community opposition to mining, particularly where limited education restricts local participation in economic opportunities. By partnering with governments to strengthen local education systems and investing in technical, vocational, and skills training, mining companies can help communities take advantage of emerging opportunities. These efforts also build trust and deepen relationships with host communities.

What companies need to know to manage impacts or make a positive contribution
The main forms of existing educational provision at an operational level, gaps in that provision, and plans to address these gaps by the responsible authorities. A baseline assessment of educational attainment and skills within the available labour force and an analysis of potential gaps against skills requirements over the life-of-mine. Opportunities to align company investments in education and skills development with existing public plans to help achieve long-term targets for local employment or procurement.
Minimising negative impacts	Maximising positive contributions
Recruit locally where practicable to strengthen the local economic benefits. Train workforce in technical and management skills. Undertake social investments to support local education provision to mitigate any adverse impacts on availability of school places. Undertake regular skills audits and address gaps.	Sponsor apprenticeships, scholarships and graduate programmes. Invest locally in training for livelihoods beyond mining. Extend workforce education and training programmes to contractors and the community. Collaborate with development agencies to strengthen local educational systems.