IRMA Buyers Group Statement

[this was also posted to IRMA’s LinkedIn]

The IRMA Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance Purchasing Sector members and Processors Working Group participants have been a driving force behind the scaling of IRMA at mine sites worldwide. Over the initial years of IRMA’s audit system, much has been learned about how customer expectations and requirements around IRMA are effectively communicated to suppliers.

💡 While every customer formulates their own policies and expectations of their suppliers, one common understanding has become clear: regardless of any specific achievement level a mine might reach in its first audit, the transparency, opportunity for engagement, dialogue, and continuous improvement offered by the IRMA process is what carries the greatest value.

📈 Beyond the audit and its outcomes, purchasers see IRMA as more than just an audit framework. It is a roadmap for operational excellence, a platform for positive stakeholder engagement, and a pathway to generating trust — all in service of reducing long-term negative impacts and supply chain risks.

🤝 In this general statement shared by the IRMA Buyers Group, what purchasers are saying to mines in their upstream supply chains is this — simply embarking on an audit is the most important first step.