Responsible mining and sourcing

Companies from all sectors and throughout the supply chain must ensure compliance with ESG requirements and human and environmental rights to meet their due diligence obligations in global value chains.

The PGM industry is strongly committed to the principles of responsible mining and sourcing with the aim to communicate transparently on the status of sustainability assurance of our members. The role of IPA is to facilitate good practice exchange, collaboration, and engagement in response to challenges, managing risks and creating value along the PGM supply chain for all relevant stakeholders. IPA is not imposing a specific standard on mining companies, however, existing audit schemes have been evaluated by the IPA Sustainability Committee regarding scope, recognised quality management standards as well as accepted audit practices. Based on this evaluation, the mining members of the IPA have committed to be independently audited either against the Initiative of Responsible Mining Assurance’s ‘Standard for Responsible Mining’ (IRMA) or the Together for Sustainability (TfS) audit with enhanced mining protocol (eTfS).

IRMA’s Standard for Responsible Mining has been developed over ten years through a public consultation process with more than 100 different individuals and organisations, including mining companies, customers and the ultimate downstream users of mined products, NGOs, labour unions, and communities. IRMA’s approach to responsible mining is to certify social and environmental performance at mine sites globally using an internationally recognized standard that has been developed in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders and is based on multi-stakeholder leadership. Audits are made publicly available.

Together for Sustainability is a member-driven initiative, raising CSR standards throughout the chemical industry. Members are chemical companies committed to making sustainability improvements within their own – and their suppliers’ – operations. The aim is to build a global standard for environmental, social and governance performance of chemical supply chains. Through TfS Assessments and Audits, members of the initiative measure the Management, Environmental, Health & Safety, Labour & Human Rights, and Governance performance of their suppliers. Areas requiring improvement are addressed through Corrective Action Plans.

Members are also looking into other certification schemes such as the ICMM’s Mining Principles (ICMM).