Success story: Oyu Tolgoi provides employment for local residents

– 64 per cent of all employees of the mine is Umnugobi residents –

The mining industry has a number of specific challenges. One of these is the need to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The need to complement this with a range of support services such as catering, housing, laundry and other services needed to create a comfortable environment for a 24 hour workforce, is a hugely challenging. CIS is an experienced company that provides integrated services for leading oil, mining, construction and engineering companies around the world. Today, CIS provides these integrated services to 150 projects in 40 countries around the world. CIS Mongolia has been operating since 2003 and has worked with Oyu Tolgoi since 2005. During this period, the scope and scale of their operations has expanded, with the number of meals prepared per day increasing from 15,000 to 24,000.

Food preparation requires very strict safety standards. The company works to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 to operate its quality management system. It is also enrolling its employees on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points training.

CIS’ ‘Healthy Habit’ programme is promoting and encouraging a healthy working culture and environment to support healthy lifestyle choices among Oyu Tolgoi workers.This is helping to improve health and wellbeing across the workforce.

The company procures its supplies and goods openly to support local suppliers and improve local business conditions, as well as ensuring a high standard of its products. It procures meat, dairy and other food products as well as clothing, hygiene and transportation from local businesses. CIS hires most of its workforce locally and procures services such as bus transport, security and hygiene from within Khanbogd soum. CIS also opened a representative office in Khanbogd to provide support for social and welfare projects and contribute to long term sustainable development. Of CIS’ 1,418 workforce, 96 per cent are Mongolian residents of the Umnugobi, further contributing to the local economy. The company won Oyu Tolgoi’s award for the best supplier for employment in 2012.

The company established its representative office in Khanbogd soum in 2012 in order to ensure its operations are transparent and accessible to the public and to promote cooperation with local community. CIS plans to open a second office in Dalanzadgad later this year. As part of its commitment to social responsibility, CIS Mongolia is supporting the local NGO project, ‘Let’s share our happiness and excitement.’ The company is also working with the Khanbogd soum Governor’s office and the local hospital to set up a children’s day care centre.