Standards Development Process

IRMA regularly reviews and updates its Standards via expert input, and public consultations. This ensures they keep pace with innovation and evolution in best practice, and they remain accountable to all sectors, stakeholders and Indigenous rights-holders.

IRMA uses the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems as a reference for the development, review, and revision of its Standards. IRMA also seeks to align with the WTO Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations, and the UNECE Guidelines on Developing Gender-Responsive Standards across its governance structure, documentation, and operational practices.

Standards Under Development

Currently IRMA is revising:

We welcome comments and input any time on Standards, as well as requests for clarifications or revisions.  These inquiries can be sent to IRMA’s Director of Standards Pierre Petit-De Pasquale or to comments@responsiblemining.net.

Standard Development Procedure

The IRMA Standard Development Procedure outlines the requirements and procedures followed by IRMA for the development, review, modification and approval of IRMA’s Standards.

The objective of these procedures is to ensure the credibility of IRMA’s Standard by

  • Remaining accountable to all sectors, stakeholders and Indigenous rights holders
  • Reflecting the latest scientific understanding and mining best practices
  • Making the standard clear and accessible to all
  • Addressing the most significant environmental and social issues associated with mining
  • Improving our data collection system to better make evidence-based decisions
  • Incorporating the values of transparency, participation and fairness, and
  • Uses the ISEAL Standard Setting Code of Good Practice as a reference.

How the DRAFT Standard 2.0 was created

Following the IRMA Standard Development Procedure, the 1st DRAFT Standard for Responsible Mining and Mineral Processing 2.0 was created by the IRMA Secretariat. It is not a finished document. It is intended to invite a global conversation. The Secretariat based the 1st Draft on —

  • the experience drawn from mines independently audited under the 2018 Standard,
  • the experience of more than 20 companies piloting different aspects of the draft requirements for exploration and development, mineral processing, and chain of custody,
  • evolving expectations for best practices in mining to reduce harm,
  • comments and recommendations received from stakeholders and Indigenous rights holders, and
  • the input of 140+ diverse experts representing 100+ organizations from 23 countries who engaged in 10 topical Working Groups convened by IRMA.
Working Groups

Working Groups presentation thumbnailIt is important to note that the expert Working Groups were created to catalyze suggestions for solutions on issues that most needed attention. Information about the Working Groups, their role, and their composition are available by clicking here or on the thumbnail.

They were not tasked to come to consensus, nor make formal recommendations. The Working Groups did not, nor were they requested to, endorse this DRAFT Standard. Working Groups operated under the following Terms of Reference and Participation Agreement.

It is also important to note that this DRAFT Standard hasn’t been endorsed by IRMA’s equally governed, multistakeholder Board of Directors.