Social investments by De Beers during 2015 rose by 13% to US$ 52.5 million, the company announced while releasing its ‘Report to Society’ yesterday. The expenditure covered investments in skills training for the local workforce and various social projects.

The Report also stated that the company improved its environmental performance, with reductions in energy consumption and carbon emissions.

Giving further details, the company said that it had invested US$ 24.3 million in development training for its workforce in 2015, which was 30% above the US$ 18.8 million the company invested on this account in 2014.

On social projects which benefited 47,800 people in its producer countries, the company upped its expenditure from US$ 27.6 million in 2014 to US$ 28.2 million in 2015.

Some of the other highlights of the report include:

• An improved safety performance with a 15% reduction in the total recordable case frequency rate
• A reduced environmental footprint, with savings of US$6.8 million on account of reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions over the last two years

During the year, which marked the 10th anniversary of De Beers’ own externally assured compliance programme – Best Practice Principles – which now covers 320,000 people across the diamond pipeline, in 72 countries, the company was also re-certified with the Responsible Jewellery Council.

Philippe Mellier, Chief Executive, De Beers Group, said: “Investing for the long term, driving positive change and unlocking opportunities through diamond development are at the core of what we do and I am very proud of our performance in these areas in 2015.”

He however stressed that this should not become a cause for complacency, and that the company planned to strengthen its efforts to ensure that “diamonds continue to have a positive and lasting impact for our partners, our employees and the communities in which we operate”.