Culture and First Nations Peoples

Building and maintaining strong and respectful relationships with the communities upon whose traditional lands our activities take place.

Material Topic Information

Why it matters

First Nations Peoples are key stakeholders of the lands on which we operate. We acknowledge that our operations have the potential to impact sites of cultural significance.

Ambition

Working together with Indigenous people to manage First Nations heritage responsibly and sustainably and creating economic opportunities through local procurement, business development and capacity-building opportunities.

Contributing to SDG's

Salient Human Rights Issues

Materiality

Culture and First Nations People at Fortescue

At Fortescue, we recognise that our operations are conducted on lands of cultural, spiritual, and historical significance to First Nations peoples. We are committed to honouring this heritage by engaging respectfully, building meaningful partnerships, and creating opportunities that deliver long-term benefits for First Nations communities.

FY25 Highlights

Fortescue’s performance in FY25 reflects our commitment to respecting and supporting First Nations peoples.

These achievements highlight Fortescue’s dedication to fostering strong relationships, respecting cultural heritage, and creating opportunities for First Nations communities.

Our focus for FY26 includes ongoing collaboration with Native Title partners, continuing the Billion Opportunities program, and improving engagement processes for cultural heritage management. We will also continue to develop global frameworks to ensure that respect for local cultures and heritage is upheld across all regions where we operate.

8.7%

Australian spend (%) with First Nations Australian owned businesses

An increase from 7 per cent in FY24.

$ 975.2m

Annual spend (A$) with First Nations businesses

$ 33.1m

Fortescue guaranteed capital to 8 Aboriginal businesses

$ 6.6bn

Total amount awarded in contracts to First Nations businesses through Billion Opportunities since program inception

0

Significant incidents of violations involving the rights of First Nations peoples

0

Significant, reportable heritage incidents.

FY25 Performance

A full breakdown of our FY25 culture and First Nations peoples data is provided in our FY25 ESG Databook located in our Document Library.

Read our FY25 ESG Databook

Impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities

Fortescue is committed to responsibly managing our interactions with First Nations peoples, recognising both the potential impacts of our operations and the opportunities for meaningful collaboration. We aim to build enduring partnerships that support sustainable growth and shared value.

We acknowledge that our operations may, directly or indirectly, negatively impact sites of cultural significance. Our primary objective is to prevent inadvertent damage to cultural heritage.

Potential negative impacts may arise from inadequate consultation with First Nations peoples prior to operational activities and that could result in insufficient cultural heritage information held, risking impact to cultural heritage sites not identified. Mining operations or project construction can lead to the irreversible loss or destruction of cultural heritage sites, including sacred sites, burial grounds, and archaeological locations through direct physical disturbance.

Fortescue has positive impacts on First Nations peoples through our Billion Opportunities program, capital funding programs, as well as our dedicated development and employment programs including Leadership Empowerment for Aboriginal People (LEAP) and our Vocational Training and Employment Centre (VTEC).

We engage extensively with Native Title partners and First Nations communities through consultation, heritage surveys, and collaborative planning. We work to identify and mitigate potential negative impacts early, and to respect and protect cultural heritage while delivering shared benefits.

Fortescue’s ability to operate and grow is deeply reliant on its relationships with First Nations peoples, as key stakeholders in the approvals processes that provide us access to land and resources. Their knowledge, values, and perspectives are critical for ensuring that our operations are sustainable.

We depend on the trust and collaboration of First Nations peoples to maintain our social license to operate. This includes co-management of land, cultural insights that inform our heritage practices, and partnerships that drive inclusive economic development. By building strong, respectful relationships, we aim to create enduring value for First Nations communities and our business.

Fortescue faces material risk from cultural and First Nations-related exposures that could significantly delay heritage approvals required for operations, thereby materially impacting the achievement of strategic objectives and operational timelines. The aggregated risk encompasses three key exposure areas: human rights breaches, heritage incidents or compliance breaches, and heritage approval delays.

To mitigate these risks, Fortescue has implemented robust cultural heritage management processes, collaborative engagement frameworks, and clear governance structures. These measures ensure that risks are identified, managed, and minimised effectively.

For more information on these risks please see FY25 Corporate Governance Statement, in our FY25 Annual Report in the Document Library.

Fortescue’s partnerships with First Nations peoples present significant opportunities for mutual benefit. By fostering economic participation, we can drive positive social outcomes while enhancing our operational resilience and reputation.

The Billion Opportunities program exemplifies the potential for business and community collaboration. By awarding contracts and subcontracts to First Nations businesses, we not only support economic growth but also strengthen local supply chains and build community capacity. Similarly, our cross-cultural awareness training promotes understanding and respect within our workforce, fostering an inclusive culture that benefits both employees and communities.

As we expand globally, there is an opportunity to apply our learnings from the Pilbara to new regions, ensuring that respect for local culture and heritage remains a cornerstone of our operations.

Our Culture and First Nations People Strategy

Fortescue’s strategy for Culture and First Nations Peoples is centred on respect, collaboration, and shared value. It reflects Fortescue’s commitment to fostering strong, enduring relationships with First Nations peoples and delivering long-term benefits for their communities. Guided by our Human Rights Policy and the principles of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), our strategy focuses on:

Engaging with First Nations peoples in a respectful, transparent, and inclusive manner.
Conducting heritage surveys and implementing robust cultural heritage management processes.
Supporting economic development through initiatives like the Billion Opportunities program and capital funding partnerships.
Empowering First Nations employees through targeted programs, such as VTEC and LEAP, and providing opportunities to live and work on Country.
Promoting cultural understanding through cross-cultural awareness training and education.

A Closer Look

Managing our relationships with First Nations peoples

Fortescue manages its relationships with First Nations peoples through a structured framework of policies, standards, and governance processes. Our Human Rights Policy provides the foundation for our approach, ensuring alignment with international best practices and local expectations.

Cultural heritage management is a key component of this framework. Fortescue conducts archaeological and ethnographic surveys in collaboration with First Nations peoples and Native Title partners to identify and protect sites of cultural significance. The outcomes of these surveys are integrated into project planning and operations, with additional protective measures, such as heritage fencing and buffers, applied where necessary.

Key elements of our approach

Engagement is central to our approach. We work closely with First Nations communities through Heritage Sub-Committee meetings, working groups, and other forums to ensure that their perspectives are heard and respected. These collaborative processes enable us to address concerns, build trust, and deliver shared benefits.

Governance

We respect and acknowledge the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the human rights principles it upholds, including the principle of FPIC.

As a signatory to the UN Global Compact, we align with Principles 1, 2 and 6:

Principle 1: should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights.
Principle 2: make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.
Principle 6: the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

In line with the principles of the ICMM, we work to obtain the agreement of First Nations people for activities located on their traditional lands, with consultation processes focusing on reaching agreement, as well as ensuring access to appropriate grievance and dispute resolution processes. We apply the ICMM Principles 3 (human rights), 9 (social performance) and 10 (stakeholder engagement) where suitable, as recognised best practice for the sector, though we are not a signatory.

The Safety and Sustainability Committee is responsible for overseeing all matters relating to First Nations engagement and heritage matters, on behalf of the Board. Operationally, the CEO Metals and Operations, and the Director of Approvals, Communities, and Environment lead day-to-day responsibilities, supported by dedicated First Nations teams. Together, these governance structures ensure that respect for culture and heritage is embedded in every stage of our operations, from project planning to execution.

Policies and standards

Our Human Rights Policy, available from our Document Library, reinforces our commitment to the principles of FPIC and our support of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Commitments most relevant to culture and First Nations peoples include:

Engaging with all stakeholders respectfully and in a transparent, inclusive, continuous manner taking into consideration their preferred form of engagement.
Ensuring that all communities where we operate, including Indigenous Peoples, vulnerable and minority groups, are free to make decisions without coercion, intimidation, or manipulation, are given sufficient time to participate in key decisions and are fully informed about any projects and their potential impacts and benefits.
Collaborating with responsible authorities to resolve any disagreements that may arise between Indigenous Peoples and companies through agreement making and project consultation processes.
Avoiding or minimising resettlement, economic displacement and impacts on cultural heritage. Where avoidance is not possible, conducting business in a manner consistent with the International Finance Corporation Performance Standards 5 and 8.

Our Processes

In Australia, we implement our Management and Protection of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Guidelines to ensure we meet our obligations and commitments.

We work with First Nations peoples and heritage professionals to conduct archaeological and ethnographic surveys as outlined in our heritage agreements, identifying the location and cultural significance of sites.

During FY25, we archaeologically surveyed 16,238 hectares of land and ethnographically surveyed 123,553 hectares of land in the Pilbara region. The outcomes of these surveys are discussed with the relevant Native Title party at Heritage Sub-Committee or other engagement meetings, which provide an opportunity to discuss learnings and improvements.

To date, we have surveyed 360,057 hectares for archaeological heritage, and surveyed 3.1 million hectares of land for ethnographic heritage in the Pilbara region.

Through our Native Title agreements and First Nations heritage agreements, we work closely with transparency to manage 7,499 heritage places. We maintain a register of cultural heritage sites and record site details in a highly sophisticated Geospatial Information System.

We work in partnership with First Nations people to protect and manage places with special significance. Sites determined to require on-ground protection are demarcated with heritage fencing. Where a site may require additional protection, a buffer may be applied to reduce the risk of impact from any future works planned in the area.

Outside of Australia, cultural heritage is typically considered as part of our Environmental and Social Impact Assessment process.

We have strong relationships with the First Nations peoples of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. These relationships are built on open and transparent engagement, mutual respect and the development of comprehensive Native Title agreements.

Fortescue is party to seven major Native Title agreements with Native Title groups in the Pilbara, three of which are underpinned by registered Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs):

Kariyarra (ILUA and Land Access Agreement - Hedland operations (Port and Rail))
Palyku (ILUA and Land Access Agreement - Cloudbreak, Rail, Nullagine)
Nyiyaparli (ILUA and Land Access Agreement - Cloudbreak, Christmas Creek)
Nyamal (Project Area Agreement - Iron Bridge)
Martu Idja Banyjima (Land Access Agreement - Cloudbreak, Rail)
Eastern Guruma (Land Access Agreement - Solomon, Rail)
Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (Land Access Agreement - Eliwana, Rail).

We are committed to working closely with our Pilbara Native Title partner groups to update existing agreements where appropriate.

Applying a collaborative and consultative approach involves providing flexibility in the way we work directly with each Native Title holding community. As part of implementing this approach, we recognise that there isn't a generic approach to working with First Nations communities and that a great opportunity is presented through customising our approach based on the priorities of individual communities.

Working closely and strategically with our Native Title partners is vital to the success of our operations, and at Fortescue we have a strong foundation to build on for ensuring mutual benefits for many years to come.

Respecting local culture is central to our principles and part of the Fortescue Value of integrity. It is an essential aspect of our operations in the Pilbara since we were established in 2003. As we expand into new countries and territories, it is important that our culture and Values are upheld and that this respect is reflected in all that we do, wherever we are. On this basis, we seek to extend our established approach to all jurisdictions.

Compliance

Compliance with all relevant legislation and obligations is the absolute minimum standard to which we operate.

Key legislation in Australia is the Native Title Act 1993 (Cwth), which enshrines the rights of Indigenous people in Australia in relation to connection to land. It is through this legislation we negotiate agreements with First Nations Australian groups.

Regarding heritage, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 protects matters of national environmental significance, including World Heritage sites and National Heritage places. Additionally, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 allows the Australian Government to protect Indigenous areas under threat. In Western Australia, the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 requires approval for activities that could potentially harm sites of Aboriginal heritage significance.

There are currently legal proceedings underway with respect to Native Title rights in the Yindjibarndi determination area. More information on this matter and the progress of the compensation claim to date is available in Stakeholder Engagement.

Fortescue's global operations comply with all relevant domestic laws, while ensuring we apply consistent and appropriate standards as a business.

Reporting

We disclose information relevant to Indigenous Peoples and incidents of violations involving rights of Indigenous Peoples in accordance with GRI Standard 411 ‘Rights of Indigenous Peoples 2016’ and selected recommendations of 'GRI 14: Mining Sector 2024'.

More information on our culture and First Nations peoples data is available in our FY25 ESG Databook located in our Document Library.

Our Actions

Billion Opportunities Program
Enabling Access to Capital
Promoting First Nations Culture
Supporting First Nations Employees and their Families

Additional Resources

Digital Library

Date
Title
Category
18 Jan 2024
Human Rights Policy 2024
Download document(1.14 kb)
30 Jun 2024
First Nations Engagement Booklet 2024
Download document(4.91 mb)
31 Mar 2025
First Nations Engagement Booklet for Renewables and Energy Projects 2025
Download document(3.76 mb)
26 Aug 2025
FY25 Annual Report and Appendix 4E
ASX Announcements, Reports and Results, FY25 Full Year, FY25 Sustainability Report, Sustainability Report
Download document(13.90 mb)

Culture and First Nations Peoples

Material Topic Information

Why it matters

Ambition

Contributing to SDG's

Salient Human Rights Issues

Materiality

Culture and First Nations People at Fortescue

FY25 Highlights

Fortescue’s performance in FY25 reflects our commitment to respecting and supporting First Nations peoples.

These achievements highlight Fortescue’s dedication to fostering strong relationships, respecting cultural heritage, and creating opportunities for First Nations communities.

8.7%

$ 975.2m

$ 33.1m

$ 6.6bn

0

0

FY25 Performance

Impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities

Impacts

Dependencies

Risks

Opportunities

Our Culture and First Nations People Strategy

A Closer Look

Managing our relationships with First Nations peoples

Fortescue manages its relationships with First Nations peoples through a structured framework of policies, standards, and governance processes. Our Human Rights Policy provides the foundation for our approach, ensuring alignment with international best practices and local expectations.

Key elements of our approach

Governance

We respect and acknowledge the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the human rights principles it upholds, including the principle of FPIC.

As a signatory to the UN Global Compact, we align with Principles 1, 2 and 6:

Principle 1: should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights.

Principle 2: make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.

Principle 6: the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

Policies and standards

Our Human Rights Policy, available from our Document Library, reinforces our commitment to the principles of FPIC and our support of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Commitments most relevant to culture and First Nations peoples include:

Engaging with all stakeholders respectfully and in a transparent, inclusive, continuous manner taking into consideration their preferred form of engagement.

Collaborating with responsible authorities to resolve any disagreements that may arise between Indigenous Peoples and companies through agreement making and project consultation processes.

Avoiding or minimising resettlement, economic displacement and impacts on cultural heritage. Where avoidance is not possible, conducting business in a manner consistent with the International Finance Corporation Performance Standards 5 and 8.

Our Processes

Cultural Heritage Management Processes

Collaborative Approaches

Compliance

Compliance with all relevant legislation and obligations is the absolute minimum standard to which we operate.

Key legislation in Australia is the Native Title Act 1993 (Cwth), which enshrines the rights of Indigenous people in Australia in relation to connection to land. It is through this legislation we negotiate agreements with First Nations Australian groups.

There are currently legal proceedings underway with respect to Native Title rights in the Yindjibarndi determination area. More information on this matter and the progress of the compensation claim to date is available in Stakeholder Engagement.

Fortescue's global operations comply with all relevant domestic laws, while ensuring we apply consistent and appropriate standards as a business.

Reporting

We disclose information relevant to Indigenous Peoples and incidents of violations involving rights of Indigenous Peoples in accordance with GRI Standard 411 ‘Rights of Indigenous Peoples 2016’ and selected recommendations of 'GRI 14: Mining Sector 2024'.

More information on our culture and First Nations peoples data is available in our FY25 ESG Databook located in our Document Library.

Our Actions

Billion Opportunities Program

Enabling Access to Capital

Promoting First Nations Culture

Supporting First Nations Employees and their Families

Additional Resources

Related Topics

Human Rights

Communities

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Stakeholder Engagement

Sustainability Stories

Billion Opportunities Program

Safe Spaces Program

Digital Library