Rio Tinto Group
What do our scores mean?
The organizational score represents the degree to which the organization influencing climate policy and legislation. Corporations also have relationship scores reflecting their links with influencers like trade associations. Both are combined to place the corporation in a performance band. Full details can be found here.
Engagement Intensity
The engagement intensity (EI) is a metric of the extent to which the company is engaging on climate change policy matters, whether positively or negatively. It is a number from 0 (no engagement at all) to 100 (full engagement on all queries/data points). Clearly energy companies are more affected by climate regulations and will have a higher EI than, for example retailers. So an organization’s score should be looked at in conjunction with this metric to gauge the amount of evidence we are using in each case as a basis for scoring. On our scale, an EI of more than 35 indicates a relatively large amount of climate policy engagement.
Relationship Score, December 2020
A new batch of industry associations has been uploaded onto the InfluenceMap system and the relationship scores recalculated accordingly.
Updated terminology, February 2021
We adjusted the terminology used to describe the queries running down the left-hand side of our scoring matrix and added additional explanatory text to the info-boxes. This has no impact on the scores and methodology. It has been done following user feedback to improve clarity.
- Details of Organization Score
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What do the 0,1,2 and NSs, NAs mean?
Each cell in the organization's matrix presents a chance for us to assess each data source against our column of climate change policy queries. We score from -2 to 2, with negative scores representing evidence of obstructive influence. "NA" means "not applicable" and "NS" means "not scored" - that is we did not find any evidence either way. In both cases, the cell's weighting is re-distributed over others. Red and blue cells represent highly interesting negative or positive influence respectively. Full details can be found here.
- Details of Relationship Score
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What is the Relationship Score
A corporation, as well as its organizational score will have a relationship score. It is computed by aggregating the organizational scores of the Influencers (trade bodies etc.) it has relationships with, weighted by both the strength of these relationships and the relative importance of the Influencers towards climate change policy. Full details can be found here.
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QUERIES
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DATA SOURCES | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Main Web Site
The main organizational Web site of the company and its direct links to major affiliates and attached documents. |
Social Media
We search other media and sites funded or controlled by the organization, such as social media (Twitter, Facebook) and direct advertising campaigns of the organization. |
CDP Responses
We assess and score responses to two questions from CDP's climate change information request (12.3 a & 12.3c) related to political influence questions (currently these are not numerically scored by the CDP process). |
Legislative Consultations
Comments from the entity being scored on governmental regulatory consultation processes, including those obtained by InfluenceMap through Freedom of Information requests. |
Media Reports
Here we search in a consistent manner (the organization name and relevant query search terms) a set of web sites of representing reputable news or data aggregations. Supported by targeted searches of proprietary databases. |
CEO Messaging
Here we search in a consistent manner (the CEO/Chairman, organization name and relevant query search terms) a set of web sites of representing reputable news or data aggregations. Supported by targeted searches of proprietary databases. |
Financial Disclosures
We search 10-K and 20-F SEC filings where available, and non US equivalents where not. . |
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|
Communication of Climate Science
Is the organization transparent and clear about its position on climate change science? |
1
|
2
|
NS |
1
|
1
|
1
|
NS |
|
Alignment with IPCC on Climate Action
Is the organization supporting the science-based response to climate change as set out by the IPCC? (the IPCC) |
1
|
1
|
NA |
0
|
2
|
0
|
NS |
|
Supporting the Need for Regulations
To what extent does the organization express the need for regulatory intervention to resolve the climate crisis? |
-1
|
2
|
NS |
-1
|
1
|
0
|
NS |
|
Support of UN Climate Process
Is the organization supporting the UN FCCC process on climate change? |
1
|
1
|
NA |
1
|
2
|
1
|
NS |
|
Transparency on Legislation
Is the organisation transparent about its positions on climate change legislation/policy and its activities to influence it? |
0
|
NA |
1
|
NA | NA | NA | NS |
|
Carbon Tax
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: carbon tax. |
0
|
-2
|
-1
|
-1
|
-2
|
-2
|
NS |
|
Emissions Trading
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: emissions trading. |
0
|
-2
|
0
|
-1
|
1
|
1
|
NS |
|
Energy and Resource Efficiency
Is the organization supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: energy efficiency policy, standards, and targets |
NS |
0
|
-1
|
-2
|
-2
|
NS | NS |
|
Renewable Energy
Is the organization supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: Renewable energy legislation, targets, subsidies, and other policy |
-1
|
-1
|
NS |
-2
|
-2
|
-2
|
NS |
|
Energy Transition & Zero Carbon Technologies
Is the organization supporting an IPCC-aligned transition of the economy away from carbon-emitting technologies, including supporting relevant policy and legislative measures to enable this transition? |
0
|
1
|
NS |
-1
|
-1
|
1
|
NS |
|
GHG Emission Regulation
Is the organization supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: GHG emission standards and targets. Is the organization supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: Standards, targets, and other regulatory measures directly targeting Greenhouse Gas emissions |
0
|
-1
|
0
|
-1
|
NS | NS | NS |
|
Disclosure on Relationships
Is the organization transparent about its involvement with industry associations that are influencing climate policy, including the extent to which it is aligned with these groups on climate? |
1
|
NS |
0
|
NA | NA | NA | NS |
Open PDF file of Data Source
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of the USCC’s energy and climate change committee. "The Chamber previously had significant policy differences to us, as detailed in our 2018 Disclosure. We communicated and engaged with them on their climate change position along with other companies, and they subsequently adjusted their position. They now support US participation in the Paris Agreement, acknowledge that humans contribute to climate change, and call for action to address the challenge."
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
member of Brazil-US Business Council
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of the Chamber’s Energy and Climate Change committee. "We continue to engage with the Chamber’s Energy committee and senior leadership and other member companies, where appropriate, to inform the organisation’s policies on climate change and energy related issues, consistent with our climate change position."
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of the Chamber’s Energy and Climate Change committee but has described policy position differences on the Pais Agreement and 'Market Mechanisms' to the NMA in its 'Rio Tinto’s view on the role of industry associations' in 2018.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of the USCC’s energy and climate change committee. "The Chamber previously had significant policy differences to us, as detailed in our 2018 Disclosure. We communicated and engaged with them on their climate change position along with other companies, and they subsequently adjusted their position. They now support US participation in the Paris Agreement, acknowledge that humans contribute to climate change, and call for action to address the challenge."
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
member of Brazil-US Business Council
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of the Chamber’s Energy and Climate Change committee. "We continue to engage with the Chamber’s Energy committee and senior leadership and other member companies, where appropriate, to inform the organisation’s policies on climate change and energy related issues, consistent with our climate change position."
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of the Chamber’s Energy and Climate Change committee but has described policy position differences on the Pais Agreement and 'Market Mechanisms' to the NMA in its 'Rio Tinto’s view on the role of industry associations' in 2018.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto’s Chief executive is an active member of the ERT. Rio Tinto is a member of the ERT energy and climate working group.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of the ERT energy and climate working group.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto Chairman is a Member of ERT
Jan du Plessis
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto’s Chief executive is an active member of the ERT. Rio Tinto is a member of the ERT energy and climate working group.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of the ERT energy and climate working group.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto Chairman is a Member of ERT
Jan du Plessis
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is an executive committee member, as well as a member of the Eurometaux Champion Energy and Climate Change Working Group.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto Aluminium is a member of the Champion Energy and Climate Change committee of Eurometaux
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
InfluenceMap Comment:
Subsidiary of Rio Tinto Alcan is a company member of Eurometaux
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is an executive committee member, as well as a member of the Eurometaux Champion Energy and Climate Change Working Group.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto Aluminium is a member of the Champion Energy and Climate Change committee of Eurometaux
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
InfluenceMap Comment:
Subsidiary of Rio Tinto Alcan is a company member of Eurometaux
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is one of over 100 direct members of BCA. Jean-Sebastien Jacques - Managing Director Australia for the Rio Tinto Group - is a board member of BCA.
Jean-Sebastien Jacques
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto has a position on the BCA Board. We actively participate in the Energy and Climate Change Working Party.
Joanne Farrell
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto Group is a board member of BCA.
Joanne Farrell
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is one of over 100 direct members of BCA. Jean-Sebastien Jacques - Managing Director Australia for the Rio Tinto Group - is a board member of BCA.
Jean-Sebastien Jacques
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto has a position on the BCA Board. We actively participate in the Energy and Climate Change Working Party.
Joanne Farrell
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto Group is a board member of BCA.
Joanne Farrell
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto's Principal Advisor on Climate Change is Chairman of the IETA Board.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is on the IETA Board
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Senior Executive of Rio Tinto is a Vice-President of IETA
Matthew Bateson
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto's Principal Advisor on Climate Change is Chairman of the IETA Board.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is on the IETA Board
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Senior Executive of Rio Tinto is a Vice-President of IETA
Matthew Bateson
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of the executive committee, as well as member of the MAC board. Rio Tinto actively engages on the Climate Change Task Force and Environment Committees(Up to date 13/05/2020)
Carolyn Chisholm
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Senior executive of a subsidiary of Rio Tinto is on the board of MAC
Blair Dickerson
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of the executive committee, as well as member of the MAC board. Rio Tinto actively engages on the Climate Change Task Force and Environment Committees(Up to date 13/05/2020)
Carolyn Chisholm
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Senior executive of a subsidiary of Rio Tinto is on the board of MAC
Blair Dickerson
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is on the board of the MCA and actively participates in the MCA’s energy and climate change standing committee and were actively involved in the development of the MCA's new energy and climate position.
Chris Salisbury, Chair of MCA's workforce and Innovation Committee
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Has disclosed that they actively participate in MCA's Energy and Climate Change Standing Committee and were actively involved in the development of MCA’s new energy and climate position
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Chris Salisbury, Rio Tinto Chief Executive - Iron Ore, sits on the MCA board of directors
Chris Salisbury
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is on the board of the MCA and actively participates in the MCA’s energy and climate change standing committee and were actively involved in the development of the MCA's new energy and climate position.
Chris Salisbury, Chair of MCA's workforce and Innovation Committee
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Has disclosed that they actively participate in MCA's Energy and Climate Change Standing Committee and were actively involved in the development of MCA’s new energy and climate position
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Chris Salisbury, Rio Tinto Chief Executive - Iron Ore, sits on the MCA board of directors
Chris Salisbury
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of MCSA and a Rio Tinto representative is a member of the board.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of MCSA.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto has a position on the board of Chamber of Mines
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of MCSA and a Rio Tinto representative is a member of the board.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of MCSA.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto has a position on the board of Chamber of Mines
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
A Rio Tinto general manager sits as a Board member of NMA. Rio Tinto states its position on issues such as mining law reform and climate policy significantly departs from that of NMA; Rio Tinto does not seem to put NMA on a clear, time-bound review.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
As a board member of the NMA, Rio Tinto engages the organisation’s senior leadership to highlight policy differences and find ways to develop a constructive conversation among all members.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of NMA's board but has described policy position differences on the Paris Agreement and 'Market Mechanisms' to the NMA in its 'Rio Tinto’s view on the role of industry associations' in 2018.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Subsidiary of Rio Tinto Group is a Member of NMA
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
A Rio Tinto general manager sits as a Board member of NMA. Rio Tinto states its position on issues such as mining law reform and climate policy significantly departs from that of NMA; Rio Tinto does not seem to put NMA on a clear, time-bound review.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
As a board member of the NMA, Rio Tinto engages the organisation’s senior leadership to highlight policy differences and find ways to develop a constructive conversation among all members.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of NMA's board but has described policy position differences on the Paris Agreement and 'Market Mechanisms' to the NMA in its 'Rio Tinto’s view on the role of industry associations' in 2018.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Subsidiary of Rio Tinto Group is a Member of NMA
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Ivan Vella, Managing Director of Port, Rail & Core services – Iron Ore at Rio Tinto currently holds the presidency of CMEWA and has a position on the CME Management Committee and Executive Council. Rio Tinto also has membership of various committees, working groups and reference groups, such as the climate policy and energy efficiency reference group.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto has a position on the CME Management Committee and is a member of the Climate Policy and Energy Efficiency Reference Group.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is one of 68 direct members of The Chamber of Minerals and Energy
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Ivan Vella, Managing Director of Port, Rail & Core services – Iron Ore at Rio Tinto currently holds the presidency of CMEWA and has a position on the CME Management Committee and Executive Council. Rio Tinto also has membership of various committees, working groups and reference groups, such as the climate policy and energy efficiency reference group.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto has a position on the CME Management Committee and is a member of the Climate Policy and Energy Efficiency Reference Group.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is one of 68 direct members of The Chamber of Minerals and Energy
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto participates in the QRC Energy and Climate Working Group.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of QRC
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto executive is on QRCs board of directors
Ben Devries
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto participates in the QRC Energy and Climate Working Group.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of QRC
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto executive is on QRCs board of directors
Ben Devries
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto contributes to submissions produced by ITTCC regarding the proposed carbon tax in South Africa
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of ITTCC. Rio Tinto has disclosed that it contributes to submissions produced by ITTCC regarding the proposed carbon tax in South Africa.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto contributes to submissions produced by ITTCC regarding the proposed carbon tax in South Africa
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is a member of ITTCC. Rio Tinto has disclosed that it contributes to submissions produced by ITTCC regarding the proposed carbon tax in South Africa.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is corporate member and contributes to the development of global policy on issues of relevance including international trade, international taxation and regulation.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto CEO is a Member of the ICC G20 CEO Advisory Group
Jean-Sebastien Jacques
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto is corporate member and contributes to the development of global policy on issues of relevance including international trade, international taxation and regulation.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto CEO is a Member of the ICC G20 CEO Advisory Group
Jean-Sebastien Jacques
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto Alacn CEO signed IFIEC manifesto, 2014
Jerome Bos
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Senior executive of Rio Tinto Group was previously on the Board of IFIEC. Now retains membership of steering committee of IFIEC french member association UNIDEN.
Jean-Paul Aghetti
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Rio Tinto Alacn CEO signed IFIEC manifesto, 2014
Jerome Bos
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Senior executive of Rio Tinto Group was previously on the Board of IFIEC. Now retains membership of steering committee of IFIEC french member association UNIDEN.
Jean-Paul Aghetti
How to Read our Relationship Score Map
In this section, we depict graphically the relationships the corporation has with trade associations, federations, advocacy groups and other third parties who may be acting on their behalf to influence climate change policy. Each of the columns above represents one relationship the corporation appears to have with such a third party. In these columns, the top, dark section represents the strength of the relationship the corporation has with the influencer. For example if a corporation's senior executive also held a key role in the trade association, we would deem this to be a strong relationship and it would be on the far left of the chart above, with the weaker ones to the right. Click on these grey shaded upper sections for details of these relationships. The middle section contains a link to the organization score details of the influencer concerned, so you can see the details of its climate change policy influence. Click on the middle sections for for details of the trade associations. The lower section contains the organization score of that influencer, the lower the more negatively it is influencing climate policy.
Climate Lobbying Overview: Rio Tinto communicates positive top line positions on climate change, however, at a more detailed level, appears to have negatively lobbied against a range of policies, particularly GHG emissions regulation. Although Rio Tinto appears to have limited direct engagement with climate-related legislation in 2020-21, the company retains memberships to numerous highly oppositional industry associations actively engaged on climate policy.
Top-Line Messaging on Climate Policy: In its 2020 Climate Report, published in February 2021, Rio Tinto accepted IPCC’s climate science and communicated positive, top-line positions on the Paris Agreement and ambitions to reach net zero by 2050. In its 2021 Industry Association Disclosure, Rio Tinto further specified that it “does not support advocacy for policies that undermine the Paris Agreement or discount Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)”. Between 2019-2021, Rio Tinto has regularly disclosed its support for a market-based price on carbon. In its 2021 corporate reporting, Rio Tinto supported the implementation of a market-based price on carbon in Australia to achieve emissions reductions “at lowest cost”, although its position appears to focus on measures to protect the competitiveness of emissions-intensive, trade-exposed industries.
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: Rio Tinto appears less supportive of specific GHG emissions legislation and regulation, although the company has had limited direct engagement in 2020-21. For example, in 2018, Rio Tinto suggested that the New Zealand Government remove GHG emission targets from the Zero Carbon Bill on the grounds that it was potentially politically divisive. Additionally, in 2018, Rio Tinto supported weakening the stringency of the Australian federal Safeguard Mechanism, a policy that sets emissions benchmarks for heavy emitting companies’ facilities. In 2019, the company also advocated against additional mandatory measures on GHG emissions at the state-level in Australia. In 2020, Rio Tinto directly advocated policymakers to oppose the addition of a greenhouse gas emissions requirements under Australia’s central piece of environmental legislation, the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Positioning on Energy Transition: In its 2020 Climate Report, published in February 2021, Rio Tinto expressed top-line support for the transition to a low-carbon economy including electrification of transport, a shift away from fossil fuels and an increased role for renewables and hydrogen in the energy mix. Rio Tinto’s 2021 Industry Association Disclosure also stated that it expected any positions and advocacy on the use of coal to not support subsidies, although it appeared to support a long-term role for coal in conjunction with the use of “advanced technology”, and that in the medium to long term its use must be consistent with Paris targets.
Previously, in August 2019, in feedback to the Western Australian Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Assessment Guidance, Rio Tinto appeared to caution against the early retirement of assets based on their emissions profile. Additionally, in 2019, Rio Tinto emphasized the cost of the energy transition to New Zealand’s economy in consultation with policymakers and argued that more stringent measures to pursue this in NZ “would not benefit the world or reduce global emissions”.
Industry Association Governance: Rio Tinto has published annual industry association reviews since 2018. In its 2021 review, Rio Tinto identifies significant misalignment with the National Mining Association and also highlights the Queensland Resources Council as having “scope for improvement”. Rio Tinto appears to suggest that its previous misalignment with the Minerals Council of Australia has been resolved following the publication of its 2020 Climate Action Plan. InfluenceMap’s analysis indicates that these three industry associations continue to be highly oppositional to climate policy. Rio Tinto retains memberships to the above organizations as well as other industry associations that continue to oppose ambitious policy action on climate change including Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, Minerals Council South Africa, Business Council of Australia and the US Chamber of Commerce.
A detailed assessment of the company's industry association review can be found on our CA100+ webpage here.