9 January 2019

…Carbones del Cerrejón Limited, or “Cerrejón”, is one of the largest open-pit coal mining and export companies in the world. It has an office in Bogotá, Colombia, and operates a major mine complex1 in La Guajira, a department of Colombia on the North-East peninsula of the country, adjacent to the Venezuelan border. It also owns the Puerto Bolívar coal export terminal and the rail system that connects the mine to this port… In 2017, the company produced and exported approximately 31.9 million tonnes, comprising 37.6% of total Colombian coal exports. The company employs 5,997 direct workers and 6,122 contractors, with 60% of them coming from La Guajira… Between 2004 and 2011, La Guajira ranked 3rd for poverty out of all Colombia’s departments, despite over three decades of royalties and taxes from mining. 65% of the department’s population are considered not to have their basic needs met… Nearly half (44.9%) of La Guajira’s population are Indigenous Peoples, primarily comprised of the Wayuu, Colombia’s largest indigenous group… Since 2011, Cerrejón has organised over 20 working groups with communities on Security and Human Rights to verify the implementation of the company’s security plan within communities and obtain feedback with respect to Human Rights in Cerrejón’s security activities, including those performed in alliance with the public forces… Cerrejón have carried out significant efforts to improve its effectiveness in terms of prevention and attention, such as the case of periodic employee and contractor examinations, the prevention of health risks, and in self-care. The company implements health prevention programs and actions that target workers and their families. Cerrejón promotes and applies international standards in health and safety which in many ways exceed the Colombian requirements…