Introduction

Anglo American is one of the largest British-based international businesses and is one of the 20 largest companies on the London Stock Exchange. Chiefly through Tarmac, it employs nearly 8,000 people in the UK. It is also one of the world's largest mining companies. It has managed operations in over 40 countries and employs over 100,000 people worldwide.

Anglo American produces five main materials:

It also owns a 45% non-managing stake in diamond leader, De Beers.

Most of Anglo American's work is in primary industry. Primary industry is the first stage of industrial activity. For Anglo American this mainly means extracting materials from the ground through mining and quarrying. To produce metals like copper or platinum it then processes the ore.

These materials turn into manufactured goods at the secondary stage of production. For example, coal and iron become steel at a steel works. Finished steel goes into many industrial products. These include steel for ships' hulls, car bodies, bridges or buildings.

Anglo American seeks to contribute to sustainable development through being socially and environmentally responsible. It achieves this through high performance in five overlapping areas.