Zimbabwe Stakeholder Engagement

In April, IRMA’s Aquinar Malatji (Mining Sector Lead) and Scott Sellwood (Civil Society Sector Lead) traveled to Zimbabwe to conduct stakeholder outreach with support from IRMA member Zimbabwe Environmental Law Organization (ZELO fka ZELA). Meetings with mining companies, NGOs, labour representatives, community leaders, and government stakeholders focused on strengthening safe and meaningful participation in IRMA audits and hearing how IRMA might support each stakeholder group.

In each on-the-ground engagement, we’re listening closely to all stakeholders so we can tailor our approach in each geography. During this visit, civil society raised concerns around labour conditions at mines, environmental monitoring, access to information, and barriers to meaningful participation in mining oversight. Government stakeholders expressed interest in IRMA’s audit methodology and potential areas of alignment with national responsible mining initiatives.

Another area of focus during the outreach trips is to connect with mining companies engaged in IRMA’s system and hear their perspectives on how IRMA can be of service and provide value.  With the upcoming Kamativi on-site audit, this was an opportunity for us to think about improving audit and outreach methodologies, and exploring alignment with Zimbabwe’s evolving mining governance frameworks.

Special thanks to ZELO, Kamativi Mining Company (KMC), and the Center for Environmental and Corporate Accountability Research (CECAR) for making the visit a success.