As the largest producer of aggregate products in New Zealand, Winstone Aggregates is easily identified by the local communities in which we operate and throughout New Zealand society as a whole.
The effects generated by our activities and the activities of other companies within the industry have the potential to create both positive and negative perceptions of ‘who we are’ and ‘what we do’ among the community, including not only neighbours but also Iwi, Local and Regional Councils, conservation groups and, to a lesser extent, suppliers and purchasers.
Therefore, the development and maintenance of positive community relations becomes an important consideration of our business activities. Winstone Aggregates recognise that for the duration of our stay at any particular site we are part of the local community and, have an active and important role to play within it. This commitment to our local communities is reflected in the companies Community Relations Policy. Relationships with the Maori community are specifically provided for in the company’s policy for Liaison with Iwi, Hapu and Whanau formalized in consultation with tangata whenua, in 2002 and kept up to date with regular reviews.
What are Winstone Aggregates doing as responsible members of the communities in which we operate?
All site management are encouraged to engage in open and active communications with all their neighbours, building strong and positive links with the local community. In this way, concerns on such as issues as environmental management and operational capability can be discussed and acted upon. At our larger quarries this process has been formalised through the establishment of Site Liaison Groups.
Examples
- Host Public Open Days and Educational School Trips or Encourage education and awareness in the community through the hosting of field trips and excursions on site.
- Provide non-residential ‘buffer zones’ to protect neighbours from noise and dust around our quarries
- Shelter belts of native trees endemic to the area are planted wherever possible
The earth is rich in deposits of different minerals, but aggregates minerals – rock, sand and gravel – can only be extracted and worked where they are found.
Any change in land use is a matter of direct interest, and often concern, to those living locally. In the case of quarrying, a balance has to be struck between the potential disturbance of its operations to its near neighbours, and the absolute requirement for sources of aggregates upon which society depends.
In these ways, society as a whole preserves the balance between protecting the environment and its requirement for an ever improving standard of living through better housing, transport, buildings, workplaces, water and sewage treatment, and other structures upon which our physical quality of life depends.
