208
entrepreneurial potential and sustaining their livelihoods in the long-term. However,
if existing top-down approaches keep being implemented, this will not only be detrimental for locals but also for companies operating in mining regions as it will
escalate community discontent and resentment.
Driven by strong links of reciprocity and empathy, locals more often partner with
other civil groups or local stakeholders to develop community associations. The
importance of becoming self-sustainable reinforces their desire for a high level of
economic independence and points to a need to enhance these organisations. This
will not only strengthen their capacity to respond to potential mining impacts but
also assist them in the generation of local employment. To date community-based
organisations have contributed strongly to protecting and enhancing entrepreneurial
assets in Risaralda. Community organisations provide employment opportunities to
616 households, and they expect to play a stronger role in the coming years. A representative of one of these CBOs said: “At the present time we are benefiting 11
households through employment generation … In the future it will not only be 11
but 20, 30, 50 families benefited from this organisation” (Community Leader,
Jewellery CBO, Interview, November, 2012).
Three community organisations in particular have made important contributions
to employment generation in the region. The Association for Coffee Production and
Commercialization has benefitted 499 households with employment, while the
Associations for Blackberry Production and Commercialization and Jewellery
Production and Commercialization have benefitted 106 and 11 households, respectively. Community members of these organisations have participated in entrepreneurship and education initiatives led by the government. According to the Ministry
of Education, 76% of former participants in these actions have been able to access
gainful employment opportunities from these initiatives (Ministerio de Educacion
Nacional 2014).
State actors have also taken part in fostering social sustainability by supporting
these organisations. The regional government often encourages exploration and
mining companies to engage with CBOs to develop entrepreneurial assets. In
response, companies have committed to supporting the community endeavours;
however, they also have a particular interest in linking community organisations’
work with company goals. Local authorities acknowledge that the mining industry
plays a key role, and actions need to be undertaken to generate mining-related
employment opportunities. Nevertheless, companies willing to employ community
members also need to contribute to community wellbeing: “We want mining companies to operate socially responsible. We want most of their employees to be locals.
Employees should also be equipped with suitable conditions to perform their jobs
with high safety standards” (Table 13.3, Row 2) (senior local government representative, November, 2012).
Fostering sustainable development (Rakodi and Lloyd-Jones 2002; Franco 2014)
and wellbeing is a long-term process. Hence, if mining is to support the long-term
development of work and entrepreneurship opportunities outside mining, the industry needs to come up with strategies to protect community assets and meet its expectations from the start of advanced exploration through mining development stages
I. B. Franco and L. Newey
entrepreneurial potential and sustaining their livelihoods in the long-term. However,
if existing top-down approaches keep being implemented, this will not only be detrimental for locals but also for companies operating in mining regions as it will
escalate community discontent and resentment.
Driven by strong links of reciprocity and empathy, locals more often partner with
other civil groups or local stakeholders to develop community associations. The
importance of becoming self-sustainable reinforces their desire for a high level of
economic independence and points to a need to enhance these organisations. This
will not only strengthen their capacity to respond to potential mining impacts but
also assist them in the generation of local employment. To date community-based
organisations have contributed strongly to protecting and enhancing entrepreneurial
assets in Risaralda. Community organisations provide employment opportunities to
616 households, and they expect to play a stronger role in the coming years. A representative of one of these CBOs said: “At the present time we are benefiting 11
households through employment generation … In the future it will not only be 11
but 20, 30, 50 families benefited from this organisation” (Community Leader,
Jewellery CBO, Interview, November, 2012).
Three community organisations in particular have made important contributions
to employment generation in the region. The Association for Coffee Production and
Commercialization has benefitted 499 households with employment, while the
Associations for Blackberry Production and Commercialization and Jewellery
Production and Commercialization have benefitted 106 and 11 households, respectively. Community members of these organisations have participated in entrepreneurship and education initiatives led by the government. According to the Ministry
of Education, 76% of former participants in these actions have been able to access
gainful employment opportunities from these initiatives (Ministerio de Educacion
Nacional 2014).
State actors have also taken part in fostering social sustainability by supporting
these organisations. The regional government often encourages exploration and
mining companies to engage with CBOs to develop entrepreneurial assets. In
response, companies have committed to supporting the community endeavours;
however, they also have a particular interest in linking community organisations’
work with company goals. Local authorities acknowledge that the mining industry
plays a key role, and actions need to be undertaken to generate mining-related
employment opportunities. Nevertheless, companies willing to employ community
members also need to contribute to community wellbeing: “We want mining companies to operate socially responsible. We want most of their employees to be locals.
Employees should also be equipped with suitable conditions to perform their jobs
with high safety standards” (Table 13.3, Row 2) (senior local government representative, November, 2012).
Fostering sustainable development (Rakodi and Lloyd-Jones 2002; Franco 2014)
and wellbeing is a long-term process. Hence, if mining is to support the long-term
development of work and entrepreneurship opportunities outside mining, the industry needs to come up with strategies to protect community assets and meet its expectations from the start of advanced exploration through mining development stages
I. B. Franco and L. Newey