The process comprised four phases:

Desktop review:

This research component provided a comprehensive picture of the issues raised by different stakeholder groups, identifying relevant and emerging sustainability risks and opportunities. We reviewed internal documentation, peer company reporting, frameworks and oversight body documents, and global trends reports.

Stakeholder interviews:

We conducted one-on-one engagements with internal stakeholders as well as external stakeholders, including government representatives, suppliers/business partners, shareholders and global initiatives. The interview feedback helped us understand the sustainability issues that are material to the business through the eyes of key stakeholders and internal leadership.

Online survey:

An online survey was issued to internal and external stakeholders. The survey was designed to determine a prioritisation of the top 10 material sustainability issues that were identified from the interviews.

Senior leadership validation and approval:

The process resulted in a detailed report on the materiality process, which identified our 2022 priority material sustainability issues as well as emerging issues. The materiality outcomes were approved by the Board’s SES Committee.

How we report on our material issues

In this report, we illustrate the connection between our material issues, our strategy and the actions we are taking to address our sustainability impacts, both positive and negative. AngloGold Ashanti’s material issues include the sustainability-related risks and opportunities that could affect our ability to create value in the short, medium and long term, and are frequently interdependent.

We recognise that our materiality assessment represents a point in time. While we have focused on certain material issues that represent common themes that internal and external stakeholders are presently concerned with, these may change from year to year.

We have committed to reviewing and revising our material sustainability issues on an annual basis to help ensure that our sustainability strategy and reporting reflect our current operating context. We are also aware that there are other sustainability issues, not reflected in our priority list below, which are relevant to how we manage and address our sustainability impacts. We therefore report beyond our priority material sustainability issues where we have identified that this aids our stakeholders in understanding our sustainability strategy and making their own assessments of our performance.

As a result of our efforts to improve alignment with best practice reporting principles, including focus and conciseness, we grouped a number of related sustainability issues in the 2022 materiality assessment. This reduced our list of priority material sustainability issues from the previous reporting year. Our 2021 material sustainability issues are available in the 2021 Sustainability Report.