Moving beyond transactional approaches, Vijay discusses how understanding the perspectives of communities, labour, regulators, and suppliers can transform decision-making and project outcomes.

He reflects on how an “empathy-first” approach influences growth, safety, sustainability, and digital transformation, and how leadership can embed empathy into organisational culture without compromising performance.

Vijay also examines its impact on investor engagement, contentious issues like land access and beneficiation, and why empathy is increasingly becoming a strategic advantage in the mining sector.