Opportunities will continue to outweigh risks in 2022, as ongoing social disruption became the clear driver of change in our industry. While there were fears that the COVID-19 pandemic may slow global progress on sustainability measures, the opposite has been true. It is clear from our survey results that purpose, long-term value and sustainability are no longer add-ons to business as usual — they are business as usual. External influences will keep driving risks and opportunities as stakeholder and capital market pressure continues to hold miners accountable.

It’s not surprising then that the top three risks and opportunities this year for the mining and metals sector are: environment and social; decarbonization; and license to operate (LTO).