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Stakeholder Engagement and Remedy panel at Mining Indaba 2025Stakeholder Engagement and Remedy panel at Mining Indaba 2025Africa

Mining Indaba 2025: Advancing Stakeholder Engagement and Remedy

21 March 2025By

On February 6th of 2025, IRMA had the privilege of hosting an interactive workshop on “Advancing Stakeholder Engagement and Remedy in the Mining Sector” as a side session of Investing in African Mining Indaba and Alternative Mining Indaba. The workshop reunited stakeholders in mining and responsible sourcing, as well as representatives of NGOs, workers, and local communities for an engaging discussion on the future of responsible mining.

The keynote

Estelle Levin at IRMA's Mining Indaba eventThe workshop was opened with a keynote by Estelle Levin-Nally, a human rights expert and Founder of Levin Sources, who shared her experience with remedy and its significance. She highlighted that remediation is one of the three core pillars of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and as these principles are increasingly being incorporated into national and international law, companies must demonstrate compliance, not only to meet legal requirements but also to align with business partner expectations.

She emphasized that unremediated past harms can leave individuals aggrieved, which undermines trust, discourages participation in company or regulatory initiatives, increases the likelihood of resistance and conflict, and hinders cooperative efforts that could maximize positive impacts for both business and society. Therefore, remedy serves as a pathway to healing for victims and their families, as the consequences of unremediated harms often persist across generations.

Estelle also shared insights into the challenges of implementing effective remedy in the mining sector. These include weak rule of law in many jurisdictions, which limits access to justice; autocratic regimes, which can lead to deregulation; the exclusion of remedy as a sixth step in due diligence under the OECD Minerals Guidance; and the complexity of different remedy pathways, which can create confusion for rightsholders regarding their entitlements and the mechanisms available to them. She concluded by stressing that business partners and civil society can do more to support affected rightsholders in understanding and accessing remedy when harms occur. While companies must be prepared for remediation, they should always prioritize prevention.

The workshop

Cecilia Mattea, IRMA’s Europe Regional Lead, continued the discussion by introducing the draft IRMA Remedy Framework and its purpose to respond to communities and workers who have been harmed by mineral exploration, development, and processing. Because the absence of remediation often leads to conflict and mistrust, the remedy framework could provide meaningful solutions for past and ongoing harms and a pathway for mining companies to regain trust. 

She also outlined and explained IRMA’s accountability mechanisms that support remediation efforts, including IRMA-Standard requirements for operational-level grievance mechanism; IRMA Membership Principles and Policy of Association and its policy of disassociation; the IRMA Feedback and Complaints Mechanism; and, finally, the IRMA Remedy Framework, which is currently under development.

Participants were then invited to reflect on and engage with key questions regarding the Remedy Framework. For example:

  • What should the IRMA Remedy Framework include? What would you like to see?
  • How far past should remediation go? How to ensure that communities are aware of their rights, and whose role is that?
  • Should the IRMA remedy framework be limited to assessed sites? 

Cecilia shared some of the suggestions IRMA received from previous engagements with stakeholders, NGOs, and remediation experts. These recommendations include ensuring that the framework is inclusive in its design, reflects the complexities on the ground, aligns with regulatory requirements such as the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, and does not impose an additional burden on Indigenous Peoples but rather complements existing tools.

As participants engaged in the discussion, interesting points were raised regarding how governments can engage in this process and how to ensure it doesn’t restrict access to remedy through the judicial system but rather establishes a positive link to it; which other institutions could play a role in the remediation process; how traditional leaderships structures could contribute to the process; and whether it would be better for IRMA to support access to remedy rather than create a new framework.

At the end of the session, Johannes Danz, sustainability expert at Mercedes Benz, shared the business perspective on supporting the project and standards, highlighting their benefits in fostering interaction across the supply chain, resolving conflicts, building trust, strengthening relationships, and improving access to remedy.

The workshop provided an invaluable learning experience across sectors through dialogue and engagement, fostering a deeper understanding of the role of the IRMA Remedy Framework and stakeholders’ expectations.

IRMA thanks all the participants for their contributions in the workshop.

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Gerdau logoGerdau logoAudits

Mina de minério de ferro Miguel Burnier da Gerdau completa auditoria da IRMA

20 March 2025By

Mina brasileira alcança o IRMA 50 após ser auditada de acordo com o único padrão de mineração do mundo com governança igualitária

20 March 2025 – A Iniciativa de Asseguração de Mineração Responsável (IRMA) publicou hoje o relatório de auditoria da Mina Miguel Burnier, da Gerdau, com base no Padrão IRMA para Mineração Responsável. A Mina Miguel Burnier está localizada no estado brasileiro de Minas Gerais, no município de Ouro Preto. A empresa de auditoria independente SCS Global Services avaliou a Mina Miguel Burnier como IRMA 50 ao medir seu desempenho em relação aos critérios sociais e ambientais de melhores práticas da Padrão.

O IRMA 50 significa que a SCS Global Services verificou que a Mina Miguel Burnier atendeu, pelo menos substancialmente, a todos os 40 requisitos críticos do IRMA Standard, bem como a pelo menos 50% dos critérios do Padrão em cada uma das quatro áreas principais: responsabilidade social, responsabilidade ambiental, integridade comercial e planejamento para legados positivos. O relatório completo da auditoria está disponível na página de auditoria da Mina Miguel Burnier no site do IRMA.

“Este relatório demonstra que as minas podem apontar para avaliações transparentes e independentes de seu desempenho ambiental e social”, disse Aimee Boulanger, Diretora Executiva da IRMA. “Por meio de relatórios detalhados de auditoria da IRMA, as empresas de mineração, as comunidades e as empresas que compram materiais extraídos das minas podem obter as informações necessárias para decidir o que está indo bem – e o que pode exigir mais atenção – em minas específicas.”

Como o Padrão IRMA é reconhecido e adotado em todo o mundo, essas auditorias são etapas importantes em um diálogo mais profundo entre as empresas de mineração e as pessoas afetadas por suas operações. Como o processo IRMA está sempre melhorando com base na experiência da auditoria mais recente, os resultados da auditoria devem ser revisados e interpretados de acordo.

“Se os resultados não refletirem totalmente a experiência das comunidades ou de outros grupos afetados, queremos ouvi-los”, disse a Sra. Boulanger. “Nós os ajudaremos a se comunicar com a empresa para entender melhor seu desempenho e com os auditores sobre quaisquer questões que eles considerem ter sido negligenciadas na análise. Essa é a base de nosso próprio compromisso com a transparência. Convidamos qualquer pessoa que tenha críticas sobre nosso trabalho a se juntar a nós para melhorá-lo. Encontrar maneiras de melhorar está incorporado em nosso sistema e é uma medida de seu sucesso.”

Wendel Gomes da Silva, Diretor de Mineração e Matérias-Primas da Gerdau, disse: “A realização do IRMA 50 por Miguel Burnier e o compartilhamento dos resultados da auditoria que explicam nosso desempenho em relação aos mais de 400 requisitos do IRMA são um sinal do nosso compromisso com a transparência, com práticas de mineração mais responsáveis e com o diálogo aberto com todas as partes interessadas e detentores de direitos. Em seus 124 anos de história, a Gerdau tem o compromisso de ser parte das soluções para os desafios da sociedade e de ter um impacto positivo nas regiões em que opera.”

Incluindo a mina Miguel Burnier, 23 minas de escala industrial em todo o mundo estão dentro do sistema de avaliação independente da IRMA. Após uma autoavaliação inicial, uma mina participante contrata uma empresa de auditoria externa – treinada e aprovada pela IRMA – para realizar uma avaliação independente detalhada, incluindo visitas in loco à mina e às comunidades próximas. Após a liberação da auditoria inicial, uma auditoria de controle verifica o desempenho da mina. Três anos após a auditoria inicial, a operação é submetida novamente a uma auditoria completa.

O sistema independente IRMA é o único padrão global de mineração que oferece poder igual ao setor público (comunidades e detentores de direitos indígenas, trabalhadores de minas e defensores dos direitos humanos e ambientais) e ao setor privado (empresas de mineração, compradores de materiais extraídos e investidores).

Para obter mais informações:

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Gerdau’s Miguel Burnier iron ore mine completes IRMA audit

20 March 2025By

Brazilian Mine achieves IRMA 50 when audited against the world’s only equally governed mining standard

20 March 2025 – Today the Initiative for Responsible Mining (IRMA) released the audit report of Gerdau’s Miguel Burnier iron ore mine against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. The Miguel Burnier Mine is located in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state in the municipality of Ouro Preto. Independent audit firm SCS Global Services assessed the Miguel Burnier Mine at IRMA 50 when measuring its performance against the Standard’s best practice social and environmental criteria.

IRMA 50 means that SCS Global Services verified that the operations at least substantially met all 40 critical requirements of the IRMA Standard, as well as at least 50% of the Standard’s criteria in each of the four principle areas: social responsibility, environmental responsibility, business integrity and planning for positive legacies. The full audit report is available on the Miguel Burnier audit page on the IRMA website.

“This report demonstrates that mines can point to transparent, independent evaluations of their environmental and social performance,” said Aimee Boulanger, Executive Director of IRMA. “Through detailed IRMA audit reports, mining companies, communities and companies that purchase mined materials can gain the information they need, to decide what’s going well — and what may require more attention — at specific mines.”

As the IRMA Standard is recognized and adopted around the globe, these audits are steps in a deepening dialogue between mining companies and those affected by their operations. Because the process is still evolving, the results should be reviewed and interpreted accordingly.

“An increasing number of community members and workers are engaging in IRMA audits, and they’re using the audit reports to communicate directly with the mining company about their priorities for improvement,” Ms. Boulanger said. “If readers find results inconsistent with their experience, we encourage them to share their perspectives with IRMA and the company so that we can improve the audit review process and support continuing improvement at the site—as community members and NGOs have already done in this case.”

“We are always looking to improve not only mining practices, but also IRMA’s system. IRMA’s improvements, and being transparent about how we need to improve, is built into our system and a measure of its success,” said Ms. Boulanger.

Wendel Gomes da Silva, Mining and Raw Materials Director at Gerdau, said: “Miguel Burnier’s IRMA 50 achievement, and the sharing of the audit results that explain our performance against the 400+ IRMA requirements, is a sign of our commitment to transparency, to more responsible mining practices, and to open dialogue with all affected stakeholders and rightsholders. In its 124-year history, Gerdau is commitment to be part of the solutions to society’s challenges and to have a positive impact on the regions in which it operates.”

Including Miguel Burnier, 23 industrial-scale mines worldwide are within the IRMA independent assessment system. After an initial self-assessment, a participating mine engages a third-party audit firm — trained and approved by IRMA — to conduct a detailed independent evaluation, including on-site visits to the mine and nearby communities. Following the release of the initial audit, a shorter surveillance audit checks on the mine’s performance. Three years after the initial audit, the operation is fully audited again.

The independent IRMA system is the only global mining standard that provides equal power to the public sector (communities and Indigenous rights holders, mine workers, and environmental and human rights advocates) alongside the private sector (mining companies, mined materials purchasers and investors).

For More Information:

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Audits

SCS akan melakukan penilaian IRMA di lokasi PT Trimegah Bangun Persada

14 March 2025By

SCS akan melakukan penilaian IRMA di lokasi PT Trimegah Bangun Persada (TBP), atau yang dikenal dengan Harita Nickel; firma audit menerima masukan dari masyarakat setempat dan pemangku kepentingan lainnya

[Bahasa Indonesia | English]

SEATTLE / JAKARTA, 14 Maret 2025 – Hari ini, SCS Global Services (SCS) mengumumkan bahwa pada tanggal 15 – 23 April 2025, SCS akan mengunjungi operasi penambangan dan pemrosesan nikel Trimegah Bangun Persada (TBP), yang juga dikenal sebagai Harita Nickel, untuk melakukan tahap penilaian lokasi oleh pihak ketiga yang independen dari Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA). Pada bulan Oktober 2024, Harita Nickel mengumumkan komitmennya atas operasi penambangan dan pemrosesan terkait untuk diaudit secara independen oleh IRMA. Harita Nickel berlokasi di Pulau Obi, Halmahera Selatan, Maluku Utara, di Indonesia.

Setelah selesai, hasil penilaian IRMA akan menghasilkan laporan audit publik yang dirilis secara lokal dan di situs web IRMA. Laporan ini akan menjelaskan bagaimana SCS menilai operasi Harita Nickel terhadap masing-masing dari 400+ persyaratan Standar IRMA untuk Penambangan yang Bertanggung Jawab, dan mengapa SCS memberikan skor tersebut. Laporan tersebut juga akan menetapkan tingkat pencapaian keseluruhan: Transparansi IRMA, IRMA 50, IRMA 75, atau IRMA 100.

Harita Nickel dapat menggunakan informasi ini tentang dampak lingkungan dan sosial dari operasinya untuk meningkatkan praktiknya. Pemangku kepentingan lain, khususnya masyarakat yang terdampak, dapat menggunakan laporan audit ini untuk bekerja sama dengan Harita Nickel dan pihak lain secara lebih setara guna meningkatkan praktik pertambangan dengan cara yang paling bermanfaat bagi mereka.

Selama SCS berada di lokasi, mereka akan mengumpulkan umpan balik dari para pemangku kepentingan setempat – siapa pun yang secara langsung atau tidak langsung terdampak oleh tambang — termasuk anggota masyarakat, pekerja tambang, dan pejabat pemerintah. Tim SCS juga akan memeriksa operasi dan fasilitas terkaitnya.

15 – 23 April 2025

Auditor dari SCS Global Services akan mengunjungi wilayah tambang Harita Nickel pada bulan April untuk mengumpulkan masukan. Jika Anda memiliki hal untuk disampaikan, silakan mengabarkan tim audit dengan mengirim pesan melalui WhatsApp. Akan jauh lebih baik, jika Anda bersedia untuk melakukan mengatur pembicaraan obrolan tatap muka dengan auditor di waktu dan lokasi yang nyaman bagi Anda antara tanggal 15 dan 23 April.

WhatsApp: +1 520 248 4276 (suara atau teks)
Email: feedback@scsglobalservices.com
Online: https://info.scsglobalservices.com/irma-stakeholder-feedback

Jika obrolan langsung tidak memungkinkan karena alasan apa pun, dan Anda ingin terhubung, jangan khawatir! Anda juga dapat berbagi pemikiran dengan auditor menggunakan WhatsApp. Tim audit menghormati privasi Anda. Apa pun yang dibagikan dalam wawancara pekerja dan masyarakat bersifat anonim (rahasia) dan akan digabungkan dengan masukan lainnya. Tidak ada nama atau rincian pribadi yang akan muncul dalam laporan auditor atau dibagikan kepada manajemen tambang. Untuk rincian lebih lanjut, silakan lihat dokumen pengumuman audit SCS.

SCS adalah firma audit independen yang telah disetujui dan dilatih oleh IRMA. Untuk informasi lebih lanjut tentang SCS, kunjungi https://www.scsglobalservices.com.

Misi IRMA adalah melindungi lingkungan dan orang-orang yang secara langsung terkena dampak pertambangan. Untuk informasi lebih lanjut tentang IRMA termasuk proses penilaian, Standar IRMA, dan untuk melihat laporan audit tambang lainnya, kunjungi https://responsiblemining.net.

Untuk status audit Harita Nickel: responsiblemining.net/haritanickel

Jika Anda memiliki masalah atau keluhan tentang proses penilaian lokasi tambang IRMA atau Standar IRMA, kunjungi responsiblemining.net/complaints

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Audits

SCS Global Services (SCS) to Conduct On-Site Assessment of Harita Nickel

14 March 2025By

SCS to conduct on-site IRMA assessment of PT Trimegah Bangun Persada (TBP), also known as Harita Nickel; audit firm seeks input from local community and other stakeholders

[Bahasa Indonesia | English]

SEATTLE / JAKARTA, 14 March 2025 – Today, SCS Global Services (SCS) announces that on April 15 – 23, 2025 it will visit the nickel mining and processing operations of Trimegah Bangun Persada (TBP), also known as Harita Nickel, to conduct the on-site phase of its independent, third-party Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) assessment. In October 2024, Harita Nickel announced its commitment of the Harita Nickel mining and related processing operations to IRMA independent audit. Harita Nickel is located on Obi Island, South Halmahera, North Maluku, in Indonesia.

When finished, an IRMA assessment results in a public audit report release locally and on the IRMA website. This report will describe how SCS scored Harita Nickel’s operation against each of the 400+ requirements of the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining, and why SCS gave that score. The report will also assign an overall achievement level: IRMA Transparency, IRMA 50, IRMA 75, or IRMA 100.

Harita Nickel can use this information about the environmental and social impacts of its operations to improve its practices. Other stakeholders, particularly affected communities, may use this audit report to engage with Harita Nickel and others on a more equal footing to improve the operation in the ways that matter most to them.

During SCS’s time on-site, they will collect feedback from local stakeholders – anyone directly or indirectly affected by the mine — including community members, mine workers, and government officials. The SCS team will also inspect the operation and its associated facilities.

April 15 – 23, 2025

Auditors from SCS Global Services will be visiting the Harita Nickel Mine region in April to gather input. If you have something to say, you can let the audit team know by messaging them on WhatsApp. Even better, you can set up a face-to-face chat with the auditors at a time and in a location convenient to you between the 15th and 23rd of April.

WhatsApp: +1 520 248 4276 (voice or text)
Email: feedback@scsglobalservices.com
Online: https://info.scsglobalservices.com/irma-stakeholder-feedback

If an in-person chat is not possible for any reason, and you would like to connect, don’t worry! You can share your thoughts with the auditors using WhatsApp, too. The audit team respects your privacy. Anything shared in worker and community interviews is anonymous and will be combined with other feedback. No names or personal details will appear in the auditors’ report or be shared with mine management. For further details, please see SCS’ audit announcement document. 

SCS is an independent IRMA-approved and trained audit firm. For more about SCS, visit https://www.scsglobalservices.com.

IRMA’s mission is to protect the environment and people directly affected by mining. For more about IRMA including the assessment process, the IRMA Standard, and to see audit reports of other mines, visit https://responsiblemining.net.

For Harita Nickel audit status: responsiblemining.net/haritanickel

If you have concerns or complaints about the IRMA mine site assessment process or the IRMA Standard, visit responsiblemining.net/complaints

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Anglo American MogalakwenaAnglo American MogalakwenaAudits

Anglo American’s Mogalakwena PGM mine completes IRMA audit

13 March 2025By

South African complex achieves IRMA 50 when audited against the world’s only equally governed mining standard

13 March 2025 – Today the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) released the audits of Anglo American’s Mogalakwena PGM complex against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. Independent audit firm ERM-CVS assessed Mogalakwena at IRMA 50 when measuring its performance against the Standard’s best practice social and environmental criteria.

IRMA 50 means that ERM-CVS verified that the operations at least substantially met all 40 critical requirements of the IRMA Standard, as well as at least 50% of the Standard’s criteria in each of the four principle areas: social responsibility, environmental responsibility, business integrity and planning for positive legacies. The full audit reports are available on the Mogalakwena audit page on the IRMA website.

The information stakeholders need to decide what’s going well — and what may require more attention.

“This report demonstrates that mines can point to transparent, independent evaluations of their environmental and social performance,” said Aimee Boulanger, Executive Director of IRMA. “Through detailed IRMA audit reports, mining companies, communities and companies that purchase mined materials can gain the information they need, to decide what’s going well — and what may require more attention — at specific mines.”

As the IRMA Standard is recognized and adopted around the globe, these audits are steps in a deepening dialogue between mining companies and those affected by their operations. Because the process is still evolving, the results should be reviewed and interpreted accordingly.

“An increasing number of community members and workers are engaging in IRMA audits, and they’re using the audit reports to communicate directly with the mining company about their priorities for improvement,” Ms. Boulanger said. “If readers find results inconsistent with their experience, we encourage them to share their perspectives with IRMA and the company so that we can improve the audit review process and support continuing improvement at the site—as community members and NGOs have already done in this case.”

“We are always looking to improve not only mining practices, but also IRMA’s system. IRMA’s improvements, and being transparent about how we need to improve, is built into our system and a measure of its success,” said Ms. Boulanger.

Craig Miller, CEO of Anglo American Platinum said, “This milestone at Mogalakwena is significant in our overall adoption of IRMA. It enables us to promote transparency and best practice in sustainability, while adding value to our global customers by helping them meet the increasing expectations for responsibly mined materials in an efficient and credible way.  With IRMA 50, we have accomplished our sustainable mining plan target of having all our mining operations assured against a recognised responsible mining standard by 2025.”

Including Mogalakwena, 23 industrial-scale mines worldwide are within the IRMA independent assessment system. After an initial self-assessment, a participating mine engages a third-party audit firm — trained and approved by IRMA — to conduct a detailed independent evaluation, including on-site visits to the mine and nearby communities. Following the release of the initial audit, a shorter surveillance audit checks on the mine’s performance. Three years after the initial audit, the operation is fully audited again. (Note: The first mines audited in the IRMA system have had extensions to this timeline due to Covid delays and launch-phase learning; updated full reviews will be required to maintain or increase achievement scores.)

The independent IRMA system is the only global mining standard that provides equal power to the public sector (communities and Indigenous rights holders, mine workers, and environmental and human rights advocates) alongside the private sector (mining companies, mined materials purchasers and investors).

For More Information:

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Fenix lithium mine. Credit: LiventFenix lithium mine. Credit: LiventAudits

Arcadium Lithium’s Fenix Lithium Mine Completes IRMA Audit

26 February 2025By

Becomes first operation in Argentina to be audited against the world’s only equally governed mining standard

26 February 2025 – Today the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) released the audit report of Arcadium Lithium’s Fenix Mine against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. The Fenix Mine is the first operation in Argentina to release an IRMA audit report, measuring performance against the world’s most comprehensive standard describing best practices for mining.

While the audit report is being released today, providing detailed results describing performance on a broad range of issues, Fenix’s overall achievement level is pending final assessment of Chapter 2.2, Free, Prior and Informed Consent.

Apart from pending final assessment of Chapter 2.2, the results of Fenix’s audit meet the requirements for at least IRMA 50.

As noted in the audit report, relevant information related to Chapter 2.2 was gathered and reviewed by the auditors during the assessment period, and Arcadium Lithium was fully collaborative, supportive and transparent throughout the process. However, the independent audit firm SCS Global Services determined that additional testimonies and more in-depth interviews were necessary to fully assess Fenix’s performance against this chapter.  This chapter, along with all critical items, will be evaluated during the IRMA surveillance audit at the Fenix Lithium Mine. The surveillance audit is required within 12–18 months after the initial audit report’s publication.

The Fenix audit occurred over a span of three years, starting on February 15, 2022, with the announcement of the independent, third-party audit, which includes time that the company invested in continuing improvement throughout the review process. Rather than further delay disclosure of valuable information related to other aspects of social responsibility, environmental responsibility, business integrity and planning for positive legacies, Arcadium Lithium, IRMA and SCS Global Services agreed to publish the audit report. The full audit report is available on the Fenix Mine audit page on the IRMA website.

“We began the IRMA process with clear objectives: to help drive transparency in our industry, foster better engagement with community and Indigenous stakeholders, and gain insights to improve every aspect of our operations. The publication of the Fenix audit report is an important milestone in our ongoing commitment to these goals.”

“The report describes the unique profile of our Fenix operation at the Salar del Hombre Muerto in Catamarca, Argentina, where we have been producing lithium for more than 27 years.  It reflects our team’s desire and efforts to build a positive legacy and pursue opportunities for continuous improvement.  We remain as focused as ever on responsible lithium production and would like to thank the team at IRMA, SCS Global Services and all of our stakeholders who contributed to this journey thus far.” — Paul Graves, president and CEO of Arcadium Lithium.

Including Fenix, 22 industrial-scale mines worldwide are within the IRMA independent assessment system. After an initial self-assessment, a participating mine engages a third-party audit firm — trained and approved by IRMA — to conduct a detailed independent evaluation, including on-site visits to the mine and nearby communities. Following the release of the initial audit, a surveillance audit checks on the mine’s performance. Three years after the initial audit, the operation is fully audited again.

“Through detailed IRMA audit reports, mining companies, communities and companies that purchase mined materials can gain the information they need to decide what’s going well — and where improvements can be made — at specific mines. Independent evaluation against a rigorous standard that is equally governed by the people most affected by mining can reduce negative impacts, improve benefits sharing, and reduce conflict.” — Aimee Boulanger, Executive Director of IRMA.

As the IRMA Standard is recognized and adopted around the globe, these audits are important steps in a deepening dialogue between mining companies and those potentially impacted by their operations. Because the IRMA process is always improving from the experience of the most recent audit, audit results should be reviewed and interpreted accordingly.

“If the results don’t fully reflect the experience of communities, Indigenous rights holders or other stakeholders groups, we want to hear from them. We’ll help them communicate with the company and with the auditors on any issues they feel were overlooked in the review. This is a cornerstone of our own commitment to transparency. We invite anyone who has criticisms of our work to join us in making it better. Finding ways to improve is built into our system — and a measure of its success.” — Aimee Boulanger.

The independent IRMA system is the only global mining standard that provides equal power to the public sector (communities and Indigenous rights holders, mine workers, and environmental and human rights advocates) alongside the private sector (mining companies, mined materials purchasers and investors).

For More Information:

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Fenix lithium mine. Credit: LiventFenix lithium mine. Credit: LiventAudits

La mina de litio Fénix de Arcadium Lithium Completa la Auditoría IRMA

26 February 2025By

Se convierte en la primera operación en Argentina en ser auditada contra el único estándar de minería del mundo igualmente gobernado

26 de febrero de 2025 – La Iniciativa para el Aseguramiento de la Minería Responsable (IRMA) publicó hoy el reporte de auditoría de la Mina Fénix de Arcadium Lithium contra el Estándar IRMA para la Minería Responsable. Fénix es la primera operación en Argentina en publicar un reporte de auditoría IRMA, que mide el desempeño en comparación con el estándar más completo del mundo que describe las mejores prácticas para la minería.

Si bien el reporte de auditoría se publica hoy, proporcionando resultados detallados que describen el desempeño en una amplia gama de cuestiones, el nivel de logro de la mina Fénix está pendiente de la evaluación final del capítulo 2.2, Consentimiento libre, previo e informado.

Aparte de la evaluación final pendiente del capítulo 2.2, los resultados de la auditoría de Fénix cumplen los requisitos de IRMA 50 como mínimo.

Como se señala en el informe de auditoría, los auditores recopilaron y revisaron la información relevante relacionada con el Capítulo 2.2 durante el período de evaluación, y Arcadium Lithium colaboró, apoyó y fue transparente durante todo el proceso. Sin embargo, los auditores de SCS Global Services determinaron que eran necesarios testimonios adicionales y entrevistas más exhaustivas para evaluar plenamente el desempeño de Fénix en relación con este capítulo. Este capítulo, junto con todos los puntos críticos, será evaluado durante la auditoría de vigilancia de IRMA en la mina de litio Fénix. La auditoría de vigilancia deberá realizarse entre los 12 y 18 meses siguientes a la publicación del reporte de auditoría inicial.

Esta auditoría se realizó en un lapso de tres años, a partir del 15 de febrero de 2022, con el anuncio de la auditoría independiente de terceros, que incluye el tiempo que la empresa invirtió en el mejoramiento continuo a lo largo del proceso de revisión. Arcadium Lithium, IRMA y SCS Global Services acordaron publicar el reporte de auditoría, con el fin de no retrasar aún más la divulgación de información valiosa relacionada con otros aspectos de la responsabilidad social, la responsabilidad ambiental, la integridad empresarial y la planificación de legados positivos. El reporte completo de la auditoría está disponible en la página de la auditoría de la mina Fénix en el sitio web de IRMA.

«Comenzamos el proceso IRMA con objetivos claros: ayudar a impulsar la transparencia en nuestra industria, fomentar un mejor compromiso con los miembros de las comunidades, los titulares de derechos indígenas y demás partes interesadas y obtener información para mejorar todos los aspectos de nuestras operaciones. La publicación del reporte de auditoría de Fénix es un hito importante en nuestro compromiso continuo con estos objetivos.»

«El reporte describe el perfil único de nuestra operación Fénix en el Salar del Hombre Muerto en Catamarca, Argentina, donde hemos estado produciendo litio durante más de 27 años.  Refleja el deseo y los esfuerzos de nuestro equipo por construir un legado positivo y buscar oportunidades de mejoramiento continuo.  Seguimos tan enfocados como siempre en la producción responsable de litio y nos gustaría agradecer al equipo de IRMA, SCS Global Services y a todas las partes interesadas que han contribuido a este proceso hasta ahora.» — Paul Graves, presidente y CEO de Arcadium Lithium.

Incluida Fénix, 22 minas a escala industrial de todo el mundo están dentro del sistema de evaluación independiente IRMA. Tras una autoevaluación inicial, una mina participante contrata a una empresa auditora externa – formada y aprobada por IRMA – para que lleve a cabo una evaluación independiente detallada, que incluye visitas presenciales a la mina y a las comunidades cercanas. Tras la publicación de la auditoría inicial, una auditoría de vigilancia comprueba el rendimiento de la mina. Tres años después de la auditoría inicial, la operación vuelve a someterse a una auditoría completa.

«Gracias a los detallados reportes de auditoría IRMA, las empresas mineras, las comunidades y las empresas que compran materiales extraídos pueden obtener la información que necesitan para decidir qué va bien – y qué se puede mejorar – en minas específicas. La evaluación independiente con respecto a un estándar riguroso que es gobernado por igual por las personas más afectadas por la minería puede reducir los impactos negativos, mejorar el reparto de beneficios y reducir los conflictos.» — Aimee Boulanger, Directora Ejecutiva de IRMA.

A medida que el Estándar IRMA es reconocido y adoptado en todo el mundo, estas auditorías son pasos importantes en un diálogo cada vez más profundo entre las empresas mineras y las personas potencialmente impactadas por sus operaciones. Dado que el proceso IRMA siempre mejora a partir de la experiencia de la auditoría más reciente, los resultados de las auditorías deben revisarse e interpretarse en consecuencia.

«Si los resultados no reflejan plenamente la experiencia de las comunidades, los titulares de derechos indígenas y otras partes interesadas, queremos oírlos. Les ayudaremos a comunicarse con la empresa y con los auditores sobre cualquier cuestión que consideren que se ha pasado por alto en la revisión. Esto es un pilar de nuestro propio compromiso con la transparencia. Invitamos a cualquiera que tenga críticas sobre nuestro trabajo a que se una a nosotros para mejorarlo. Encontrar formas de mejorar está integrado en nuestro sistema, y es una medida de su éxito.» — Aimee Boulanger

El sistema independiente IRMA es el único estándar minero mundial que otorga el mismo poder al sector público (comunidades y titulares de derechos indígenas, trabajadores mineros y defensores del medio ambiente y los derechos humanos) que al sector privado (empresas mineras, compradores de materiales extraídos e inversores).

Para más información:

  • Aimee Boulanger, Directora Ejecutiva
    Adan Olivares Castro, Líder Regional, Américas y el Caribe
    contact@responsiblemining.net +1.360.217.9080 (WhatsApp)
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Blog

IRMA’s Dedication to Climate Action

24 February 2025By

IRMA is dedicated to climate action through the IRMA Standard and system, on local to international levels. This requires action from a holistic lens, reducing greenhouse gas emissions alongside the wide range of other topics covered in the IRMA Standard, including protecting the rights of affected communities, Indigenous rights holders, and workers. This blog highlights recent IRMA engagements and partnerships including with the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, Climate Week NYC, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties (COP), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change COP, and beyond. We welcome you to collaborate with us on climate action, including in events leading up to and at the next Climate COP (COP 30) in Belém, Brazil!

Read on for updates on:

The UN Secretary General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals

UN Secretary General's Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals logo

IRMA was honored to be a member of the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals. The Panel’s report Resourcing the Energy Transition: Principles to Guide Critical Energy Transition Minerals Towards Equity and Justice outlines seven Guiding Principles and five Actionable Recommendations to support “a new paradigm rooted in equity and justice.” The Guiding Principles “based on existing norms, commitments and legal obligations outlined in United Nations texts,” cover human rights; safeguarding the environment and biodiversity; justice and equity; benefit sharing, value addition, and economic diversification; responsible and fair investments, finance, and trade; transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption measures necessary to ensure good governance; and multilateral and international cooperation. The Actionable Recommendations include creating a High-Level Expert Advisory Group; a global traceability, transparency, and accountability framework; a Global Mining Legacy Fund; an initiative to empower artisanal and small-scale miners to foster development, environmental stewardship, and human rights; and targets and timelines for material efficiency and circularity.

The Panel and its report are a remarkable achievement and platform for action. While the work of the Panel, outlined in the Terms of Reference for Panel Members, formally concluded with completion of the report in September 2024, it is likely that many Panel Members will continue to work on implementation, including through the High-Level Expert Advisory Group proposed under the Actionable Recommendations. The UN Secretary-General, Climate Action Team, UN Conference on Trade and Development, UN Environment Programme, Panel Members, and others are using key regional and international forums to socialize the report and build support for implementation. Last year these forums included the UN General Assembly, Summit of the Future, and Climate Week in New York City; the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change COP (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.

IRMA values relationships built across sectors through this process and will continue to promote implementation of the Guiding Principles, each already integrated into the IRMA Standard and system, while working collaboratively toward implementation of the Actionable Recommendations. Learn more about IRMA’s experience with the Panel and suggest next steps by contacting us at info@responsiblemining.net.

Climate Week NYC

IRMA participated in an event-filled Climate Week NYC in September 2024 where we raised awareness around IRMA and helped socialize the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals report.

Some highlights of the week included:

  • IRMA Law & Policy Director, Kristi Disney Bruckner, spoke at a Climate Champions Team Fireside Chat and participated in a roundtable on transition minerals where we launched the report Responsible, Rights-Based & Nature Positive Critical Energy Transition Mineral Production in Africa, co-authored by the African Natural Capital Alliance, The African Climate Foundation, the Climate Champions Team, and IRMA.
  • IRMA Executive Director, Aimee Boulanger, spoke at the UN Global Goals Summit Business Fights Poverty Event, “Ensuring Mining for the Low-Carbon Energy Boom Addresses the Full Range of the SDGs.” Access the meeting summary and recordings here.
  • Kristi represented IRMA at the high-level roundtable “Strengthening Local Value Chains for Energy Transition Solutions in the Global South,” hosted by the Council on Critical Minerals Development in the Global South, facilitated by Sustainable Energy for All, Global South Clean Transportation Centre, Institute for Transportation Studies at UC Davis, and Swaniti Global, in partnership with the Africa Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
  • The Open Government Partnership, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, and IRMA, with support from the Urban Sustainability Program at Brooklyn College, CUNY, hosted a panel and discussion on “Pathways to a Credible Just Energy Transition” at CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies.

Biodiversity COP (COP 16)

IRMA Regional Lead for Americas and the Caribbean, Adan Olivares Castro, represented IRMA at COP 16 in Cali, Colombia, held from 21 October to 1 November 2024. At the invitation of the Dutch National Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN NL), Adan represented IRMA as a panelist for the event “Prosper with Nature: Safeguarding Biodiversity and Human Rights in Energy Transition Mineral Supply Chains,” co-organized by Indonesian NGO Auriga Nasantara, Ghanian NGO A Rocha Ghana, the Center for Transnational Environmental Accountability, Responsible Critical Mineral Initiative, Rainforest Foundation Norway, and Mighty Earth. The event highlighted the impact of the significant increase in demand for critical energy transition minerals in various biodiversity-rich countries and actions to promote No-go zone areas for resource extraction. Remarks by a delegate of Colombia’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development closed the session.

Adan Olivares Castro speaking at COP16
Adan Olivares Castro speaking at COP16

“…without having a clear, comprehensive understanding of No-go zones on a community-by-community level, it is very difficult to understand exactly what is feasible for extraction… further integrating Indigenous knowledge systems in the 2nd version of the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining puts Indigenous rights in terms of self-governance at the center of an energy transition.” – Adan Olivares Castro

Throughout the Conference, Adan held meetings with Colombian rights holders, NGOs, and mining companies to increase IRMA’s presence in the country and attended sessions focused on mining impacts and traceability of mineral supply chains, including “A Safe & Just Energy Transition: Securing Indigenous Peoples Rights and Protecting Nature in the Sourcing of Transition Minerals” and the launch of the Global Effort on Traceability and Accountability in the Transition Minerals Sector.

Climate COP (COP 29)

IRMA participated in its second Climate COP in 2024 after being admitted as an official Observer NGO in 2023. At COP 29, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, we organized our first Blue Zone side event, co-hosted by Publish What You Pay and ResponsibleSteel. The event “Advancing Fairness and Environmental and Social Responsibility in Transition Mineral Supply Chains” featured the experience of the three organizations and the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals. Access a recording of the side event here.

Represented by Law & Policy Director, Kristi Disney Bruckner, IRMA also participated in multiple roundtables and panel events at COP 29, including:

  • “UN High-Level Meeting on Resourcing the Energy Transition with Justice and Equity: Advancing the Recommendations of the Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals.” Access a summary and recording here.
  • Council for Critical Minerals Development in the Global South (a partnership between Sustainable Energy for All, Swaniti Global, and University of California, Davis) and the India Climate Collaborative roundtable “Beyond Extraction: Developing around Critical Minerals in the Global South.” Kristi presented on environmental and social standards and community benefit sharing.
  • Kristi was a speaker on the “Talk Show: Charting Indonesia Forward as a Green Global Battery Hub” hosted by World Resources Institute Indonesia and the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas). Access a summary and recording of this event here.
  • Kristi also spoke on the panel “Critical Minerals for Energy Transition in the Arctic: Intergenerational Perspective,” hosted by The Northern Forum, BRICS Youth Energy Agency, Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP, and ReGeneration 2023.

We look forward to building on COP 29 and to seeing you at COP 30 this November!

The Role of Standards in a Responsible Social Transition

Decarbonization will bring profound transformations to heavy industries, driving significant technological, geographic, economic, and social changes. To understand and respond to the impacts of this transition, IRMA and ResponsibleSteel are jointly working on a project that explores the role of voluntary sustainability standards in driving a responsible transition in the steel and mining sectors. The project seeks to understand and develop strategies to address the social impacts of the energy transition. This effort is funded by ISEAL, a global organization for credible sustainability standards, as part of its work on the role of sustainability systems in just transitions.

The project will identify key challenges, map how international standards can address them, highlight critical gaps, and outline future work required to fill those gaps. Findings will be validated through engagement with workers, unions, business leaders, and other key stakeholders. This initiative will help establish a shared approach to the role of standards in advancing a just transition for workers in the steel and mining sectors, with outcomes circulated across the ISEAL community and broader networks. Learn more about the project at the ResponsibleSteel website, and via this Q&A with IRMA’s Davidzo Muchawaya and ResponsibleSteel’s Haruko Horii.

Collaborate with Us in 2025!

These are just a few highlights of our climate-focused work. We welcome you to collaborate in IRMA’s action on climate in the year ahead!

Examples of opportunities to engage include:

  • Planning joint events at Climate Week NYC, COP 30, or other forums
  • Participating in IRMA’s Expert Working Group on Mining & Circularity
  • Reviewing IRMA’s Draft Standard 2.0 and submitting comments, including on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Chapter
  • Hosting an IRMA presentation for your institution to share best practices

Please reach out to info@responsiblemining.net with your feedback and ideas for collaboration!

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Hands together at the Mototolo workshopHands together at the Mototolo workshopStandards

Standards’ role in a responsible transition for steel and mining

20 February 2025By

ResponsibleSteel and the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) are collaborating on a joint project funded by ISEAL to better understand the social impacts of the net-zero transition for the steel and mining sectors and how standards can help guide good practice.

Two project leads, Haruko Horii, Standards Manager at ResponsibleSteel, and Davidzo Muchawaya, Africa Regional Lead at IRMA, provide a short Q&A for readers to better understand the project.

Q: Haruko, what is the vision for the project?

With this project, we want to understand the social impacts of the transition to net zero and what role standards can play in guiding good practice.

The term ‘just transition’ is used by different people in different ways. We need to determine what this looks like for the mining and steel sectors. What exactly is a just transition? Whose transition are we discussing? Workers, local communities or supply chains? What is the scope of transition? These are some of the questions we need to consider.

Decarbonisation could have adverse social impacts such as job losses or displacement and significant effects on weakening the economic viability of affected communities. Initial research has shown that communities are facing significant social impacts caused by the transition to low-carbon practices. For instance, thousands of people have lost their jobs as a result of shifting from blast furnace technology to electric arc furnaces. These job losses have in turn impacted the wider community’s economic stability, community identity, and overall well-being.

These are the types of issues we aim to identify through this project, assessing how voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) can address them, identifying gaps, and outlining steps for future, more detailed work that could lead to larger-scale initiatives. We’ll test our findings by engaging with workers, unions, business leaders, community organisations, and other relevant stakeholders to identify an agreed approach and create practical guidance for players in the mining and steel industry.

Q: Davidzo, what do ResponsibleSteel and IRMA have in common, and why are they collaborating on a just transition?

We believe in the power of collaboration and mutual recognition. This project is just one of many examples of how different VSSs can complement and leverage each other’s work. Specifically, ResponsibleSteel leverages the assurance system of standards such as IRMA’s at mine site level, while focusing on the steel production aspects. Importantly, both ResponsibleSteel and IRMA were founded on a multi-stakeholder governance system, which has been recognised as a leading practice both by industry and NGOs. This model is recognised as best practice to ensure transparency, accountability, and inclusivity.

The collaboration specific to a just transition is born out of the necessity to ensure two hard-to-abate sectors, steel and mining, address the realities workers and communities are facing in our changing world as many existing mine and steelmaking sites face adaptation or closure. Given the varying impacts of decarbonisation across regions, IRMA and ResponsibleSteel are uniquely positioned to provide frameworks that apply across these different contexts since they are both standard-setting organisations operating globally. What is more, they are able to consider both decarbonisation and the potential social impacts of the transition at the same time.

Q: How do each of you respectively integrate just transition into your standards?

Haruko: Standards are going to play a critical role in promoting accountability during the transition, ensuring they are fair and equitable. Although there is no explicit reference to a just transition in the current ResponsibleSteel International Production Standard, there are some elements to address the transition under Principle 4: Decommissioning and Closure of sites, which requires consultation with key stakeholders to minimise any adverse impacts. In future, the scope of this principle could be expanded to address issues related to site closures, or the Production Standard could adopt a different approach by providing a Just Transition Framework giving steel producers guidelines and tools to navigate an equitable transition with workers and affected communities. We plan to discuss these approaches with stakeholders in the next phases of the project. Integrating practices into the Production Standard will help ensure the industry’s transition is both environmentally and socially just.

Davidzo: As for the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining, multiple chapters and requirements articulate what best practices could and should be for mining operations wishing to ensure a just transition for workers and affected communities. A prominent example is the requirement to involve affected communities and stakeholders in the development, design, and implementation of the mine rehabilitation and closure plan. Going beyond minimum transparency, the IRMA Standard outlines a series of requirements dedicated to the adequate estimation and financing of mine closure and post-closure. Research shows that the mining operations often leave behind environmental and social liabilities, without taking charge of costs associated with the rehabilitation or appropriate closure of the sites thereby foregoing an adequate transition.

Crucially, the role played by both ResponsibleSteel and IRMA would not be the same without their multi-stakeholder governance systems. Thanks to the decision making process that takes into account private sector players as well as rights holders and labour unions, they can ensure that the voices of all parties are heard and taken into account in an equal way – hopefully adding the “just” element to “transition”.

Q: Davidzo, who is the main audience for this project?

The main audience for this project is workers and labour unions, as workers are most directly affected by the transition. Operators, from mining companies to steelmakers, are also key since, as employers, their actions and decisions will be critical to the social impacts of the transition, alongside national and subnational governments. Local communities impacted by the transition, NGOs that aim to act in their interests and standard-setting organisations are also key stakeholders.

Q: Haruko, is there a specific geographic focus for the project?

While just transition challenges and opportunities vary from country to country and even from site to site, the project is truly global as it strives to bring the complexities of these different realities to light. We aim to engage with stakeholders across different regions during the project to hear from different stakeholders the realities of the transition in different contexts. More information on this to come!

Find out more about Responsible Steel at responsiblesteel.org. Find out more about IRMA at responsiblemining.net.

Find out more about the project background, visit the project page on the ISEAL website.

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