Sustainability

• About this report
• Governance
• Sustainability & Alumina
• Environment
• Employees & Community
  • Employee profile
  • Safety
  • Local communities
• Economic contribution
• AWAC’s global operations
• GRI Index

Employee profile

Finding, employing, developing and retaining skilled people is crucial to AWAC’s future competitiveness and success. At the end of the year 7, 294 people (2010) were employed in AWAC operations operating in seven countries: 

• Australia 
• Brazil 
• Jamaica 
• Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Spain 
• Suriname and 
• US.   

Factors driving workforce growth of six per cent from 2009 were: 

• the Alumar alumina refinery expansion in Brazil
• the acquisition of BHP Billiton's 45 per cent ownership of the Paranam alumina refinery and mining operations in Suriname
• Juruti bauxite mine growth projects starting to operate at capacity in Brazil, and 
• increased production requirements to meet growing global demand for alumina.  

Most  of AWAC’s employees are covered by enterprise bargaining agreements with Alumina Limited and Alcoa both supporting the rights of employees to collectively bargain and to freely associate. 

AWAC workforce

AWAC Operations	2010	2009
Alumina	6,961	6,460
Aluminium	950	1,001
Chemicals & others	13	5

Alumina’s employees

Alumina Limited has a small professional management team of 12 members  to manage our AWAC joint venture interest.  While all employees have individually negotiated contracts they have the right to freely associate and collectively bargain in line with our Human Rights policy.