Human Rights Day: Cerrejón’s Commitment to Human Rights

At Cerrejón, we are firmly committed to respecting and promoting human rights, a commitment embedded in our Human Rights Policy, first established in 2005 and enhanced in 2011 to align with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Human Rights Day is an important occasion to reaffirm this pledge as we work to safeguard dignity and uphold the rights of workers, communities, and stakeholders across La Guajira.

This commitment is brought to life through a human rights due diligence process designed to continuously strengthen the identification, prevention, and mitigation of impacts and, when necessary, ensure effective access to remedy. Our approach also fosters meaningful dialogue with stakeholders, bolsters human rights risk management, and ensures a timely response to any questions or concerns raised by workers and communities.

In 2022, we reinforced this framework by establishing a Human Rights Governance System to enhance oversight of human rights management across the company. Through the Human Rights Committee we monitor the implementation of the annual human rights plan, the progress of actions to address the Salient Issues identified by the Human Rights Risk and Impact Assessments, and track key indicators related to training, grievance management, and the implementation of corrective measures. We have also strengthened our risk management system by ensuring that critical controls are in place to prevent adverse impacts.

Beyond managing risks, Cerrejón is committed to promoting human rights by strengthening knowledge and understanding of human rights among local and regional authorities, and members of the Public Security Bodies. Through our social investment, we also contribute towards facilitating access to essential rights such as drinking water, promoting access to education and capacity building, and enhancing access to income generation, health services and improved community infrastructure. Through these activities we support sustainable and resilient lives, particularly in remote areas such as La Guajira.

Together, these efforts reflect a comprehensive vision of human rights in practice. On Human Rights Day, Cerrejón reaffirms its commitment to this responsible approach.