In this podcast, Florence Drummond engages in a lively conversation with Mark Cutifani, DPI’s Co-Founder and non-executive Director and a seasoned professional in the mining industry with nearly five decades of experience. Cutifani shares insights from his leadership journey, highlighting the importance of addressing safety challenges and fostering positive change, while ‘listening differently’.
He discusses the creation of the Development Partner Framework (DPF), which promotes shared purpose, flourishing ecosystems, and competitive communities, companies and countries. The call to action for listeners? To not underestimate the significance of listening to diverse perspectives and the power of collective action to create a positive impact on society.
Key themes from the episode:
1. Navigating Safety Challenges
Cutifani faced safety challenges during his leadership at Anglo-Gold Ashanti, including multiple fatalities. He prioritized building a safety-focused culture and engaging with the workforce to drive positive change.
2. Building the Development Partner Framework (DPF)
Cutifani discusses the creation of the DPF, focusing on shared purpose, flourishing ecosystems, and competitiveness across communities, companies, and countries. Our framework aims to align industry efforts with societal needs and sustainable development, making the mining industry a partner for positive change.
3. Listening and Understanding
Cutifani emphasizes the importance of listening differently and understanding diverse perspectives, drawing from his upbringing. He believes that understanding others' viewpoints is crucial in both business and community engagements – and a core foundation of the Development Partner Institute.
4. Taking Action for Positive Impact
The call to action? For industry stakeholders to prioritize making a positive impact on society. He stresses the need for collective action to ensure sustainability and maximize societal benefits.
This episode reflects on the creation of the Development Partner Framework (see Peter Bryant’s episode for a similar perspective), but also how the approach to listening can be outworked in modern mining leadership.