How does the local context shape corporate social responsibility (CSR) in mining? The case of Vale

As the global mining industry often operates in remote vulnerable locations, requires large areas of land and may have negative social and environmental impacts, it was soon challenged by civil society. In this context, since the late of the 1990s, the most common response of large mining companies has been the elaboration of a corporate social and environmentally responsibility policy, recognizing their obligation to contribute to the social and environmental sustainability of the countries in which they operate. Some authors have provided evidence that CSR activities and local impacts depend on the local context in which the company invests while others argue that its country of origin matters. Most condude that more research is needed on the links between corporate governance, CSR strategies, and the policy and social settings in host countries. In this contribution, we analyse how the local social and institutional context shapes the CSR activities and impacts of a mining company. The study is based on a comparative analysis of the elaboration and impacts of some CSR activities of the large Brazilian mining company, Vale, in Mozambique, New Caledonia and in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon. The results show that even with a set of procedures defining its CSR activities drawn up by the firm itself, the procedures are always adapted to the institutional and local social context. We show how local community variables such as organizational and negociation capabilities, connections with transnational NGOs, and the efficiency of public institutions, affect the company's CSR activities. (Résumé d'auteur