AngloGold Ashanti has a history of gross human rights violations and causing grave environmental problems for which it won one of the Public Eye Awards.

[10] In 2011, AngloGold Ashanti moved into Eritrea to explore the Arabian-Nubian Shield for gold through a 50/50 joint venture set up in 2009 with Thani Dubai Mining.

[20] In January 2025 a Ghanaian small-scale miners' association reported that soldiers killed nine unarmed people at an AngloGold Ashanti mine in Obuasi.

Kofi Adams, chairman of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners, stated that 14 others were severely injured and emphasized that the victims were not armed.

[citation needed] In August 2008 British charity War on Want published a report accusing Anglo American (who at the time owned 17% of AngloGold Ashanti) of profiting from the abuse of people in the developing countries in which the company operates.

[23] Additionally, in 2005 the staff of the AGA exploration team in Ituri made a US$8,000 payment to the FNI, which had been accused of committing various humans rights abuses.

[26] The nominating organisation, WACAM (Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining), said the company had a history of "gross human rights violations and environmental problems."

Colombia's Truth Commission found AngloGold Ashanti responsible for financing paramilitary groups that murdered peasants and community leaders.

One of the main reasons for this development was a program led by CEO Mark Cutifani aimed at reducing the company's number of fatalities to zero by 2015.