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Community Programs and Foundations

Where BHP Billiton's presence in a region or country is significant, we often participate in provincial or national social programs in addition to local community activities.

In some instances, the Company has established community foundations. These foundations include external representation, often a community representative, to ensure a full understanding of the community's needs and an ability to identify appropriate projects to address the issues.

Examples of foundations and programs include:

Chile

• Fundación Minera Escondida/Minera Escondida Foundation is an independent non-profit organisation established in 1996. The Foundation's purpose is to build up human and social capacities, as an expression of Minera Escondida's social responsibility, and its mission is to transform projects into opportunities for educational improvement and social development.

Colombia

• The San Isidro Foundation in Colombia is an independent body supported by our Cerro Matoso nickel operation. The Foundation aims to improve the quality of life of the communities within the operation's area of influence by focusing its efforts on building a robust local economy that will continue to develop and thrive beyond the life of Cerro Matoso.
• The Montelíbano Educational Foundation in Colombia focuses on education provision for Cerro Matoso employees and their families and also provides places for students from the surrounding communities.

Peru

• The Antamina Mining Fund in Peru was established in 2006. The largest of its kind in the country, the Fund focuses on education, health, institutional capacity building and economic development. The Fund's activities are coordinated with the Company's community relations activities and the Ancash Association, Antamina's corporate foundation that specialises in cultural, tourism, and environmental projects (BHP Billiton owns 33.75 per cent of Antamina).

South Africa

• The main objective of the BHP Billiton Development Trust in South Africa is to provide strategic and policy direction in relation to the execution of Socio-Economic Development (SED) and non-preferential procurement initiatives linked to enterprise development programs. The Trust also coordinates and manages the sustainable development initiatives of our South African operations that participate in the Trust (BHP Billiton Manganese, BHP Billiton Energy Coal South Africa and BHP Billiton Aluminium).

Mozambique

• The Mozal Foundation in Mozambique was created in August 2002 to fulfil the corporate social responsibilities of the Mozal smelter. Support focuses on five key development areas defined by the Board of Trustees, namely small business development, education and training, health and environment, sport and culture, and community infrastructure.

India

• The BHP Billiton SEWA Society (referred to as the BHP Billiton India Development Foundation) was established in May 2005 to invest in the development of human and social capabilities in India. Areas of focus include education, health, rural development and integration of indigenous peoples in development and respecting and preserving their cultural and natural heritage.

Australia

• Within Australia, each BHP Billiton businesses manages its own local social and community programs. Community organisations should contact their nearest operation (see Locations) for guidelines and to understand the application process.
• BHP Billiton is also involved in a small number of national community-business partnerships  which have been developed on a strategic basis with our businesses. 
• Community organisations interested in partnering with us in Western Australia should visit WA Community Programs, a collaborative initiative of BHP Billiton's Western Australian Assets.