The modern resource extraction enterprise is a complex capital intensive business operating in a world of constantly evolving social, environmental and economic scrutiny._x000D_
Investors, government, media and special interest groups expect to see business environmental and social performance respond and deliver increasing corporate responsibility and sustainability._x000D_
Thorough interrogation of business performance using a multi-disciplinary due diligence approach presents a more sophisticated review and benefits beyond the traditional compliance/conformance audit' style assessment._x000D_
Using a due diligence approach allows assessment through a comprehensive lens which examines potential short- and long-term risks including sometimes less tangible environmental and social liabilities, and informs management, investors and regulators of broader business performance. This approach provides information in a form that business can measure performance in a repeatable and enterprise wide sense._x000D_
This paper provides an outline of the due diligence process applied in this way, drawing from lessons learnt and industry based experiences in the due diligence process and the benefits and tools that can be applied in an environmental and social due diligence business performance assessment._x000D_
FORMAL CITATION:Baker, P and Wyatt, C, 2010. A due diligence approach to environmental and social business performance assessment, in Proceedings Sustainable Mining 2010, pp 310-314 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).