MOU

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UNEP and IRMA announce collaboration to advance responsible mining practices

11 February 2026By

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) have announced a collaboration on the environmental dimensions of responsible mining, focusing on the improvement of transparency and environmental performance in the mining sector.

As digital transformation and decarbonization efforts drive an unprecedented demand for minerals and metals, the extractive sector is under increasing pressure to minimize environmental impacts, such as deforestation, land degradation and pollution, while strengthening transparency,  environmental and social performance as well as  traceability.

This partnership brings together UNEP’s mandate as the leading global environmental authority with IRMA’s experience in promoting responsible mining and the sustainable use of minerals. IRMA’s comprehensive, multi-stakeholder system transparently assesses the performance of industrial-scale mine sites against a voluntary best practice mining standard.

Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the two organisations agreed to a strategic partnership focused on the exchange of expertise on responsible mining topics, including voluntary sustainability standards, multi-stakeholder governance models and the verification of standards claims.

The partnership will also foster dialogue among stakeholders and contribute to the identification of best practices and gaps in the sector. Research and data will be disseminated through platforms such as UNEP’s Digital Knowledge Hub on the Environmental Aspects of Minerals and Metals.

The partnership aims to contribute to the implementation of the guiding principles and actionable recommendations of the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals.

It will also advance the work of the UN Task Force on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, launched on 10 December 2025 during the seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) to coordinate UN activities across all principles and actionable recommendations. The Task Force is chaired by UNEP, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

“As the demand for critical minerals grows, it is imperative that extraction processes do not come at the cost of environmental or community well-being,” said Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, Director of the Industry and Economy Division at UNEP. “Partnering with IRMA allows us to strengthen and promote best practices in responsible mining, as well as assurance and verification. We look forward to working together to strengthen the knowledge base and governance frameworks necessary for a responsible mining sector.”

“IRMA provides an independent measure of social and environmental performance at the mine site that is credible across all mining-affected stakeholder and rightsholder sectors,” said Kristi Disney Bruckner, Policy Director of IRMA. “By connecting IRMA’s system with UNEP’s global mandate, we help support the implementation of the UNSG Panel’s recommendations and increase the likelihood that the materials required for the energy transition are sourced in a way that better protects both people and the planet.”

This MOU is non-exclusive and establishes a framework for cooperation and dialogue between the two organizations. It serves as a structural foundation for activities and projects that may be defined in separate agreements.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

UNEP is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

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New Collaboration Promotes Responsible Sourcing of Platinum Group Metals

27 October 2025By
London Platinum and Palladium Market and the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance Increasing Value for More Responsible Business Practices

Oct 27 – The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) and the London Platinum and Palladium Market (LPPM) announced a new, non-exclusive collaboration to advance responsible sourcing in the platinum group metals (PGM) value chain. This partnership strengthens shared approaches to assurance and supports the mutual members of both organizations.

As two key entities focused on the responsible production of PGMs, IRMA and LPPM are committed to best practices and to advancing transparent and effective systems that are responsive to the needs of mining-affected stakeholders and rightsholders. This collaboration comes at a time of increasing global scrutiny, regulatory requirements, and rising stakeholder expectations for responsible mining and sourcing.

“The London Platinum and Palladium Market is delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance, through the LPPM’s Responsible Sourcing Committee,” said John Cullen, Chair of the LPPM. “We look forward to the collaboration yielding benefits for all our members and the entire PGM Industry.”

“Working with LPPM illustrates IRMA’s collaborative approach to improving mining practices,” said Aimee Boulanger, IRMA Executive Director. “Learning from each other will help us achieve our vision to increase value for the efforts of mining companies who respect the human rights of affected communities, provide healthy and supportive workplaces, minimize environmental harm, and leave positive legacies.”

The two organizations have prioritized three key areas of collaboration:

  • Maintaining a regular, constructive dialogue on the metrics for best practices that drive more responsible mining practices
  • Jointly listening to member needs, seeking to support and bring reputational and financial value to companies improving practices
  • Exchanging knowledge to improve the approach of how we measure performance through audits that are trusted

More Info:

LPPM is a trade association that oversees and promotes the trading of platinum and palladium in London, with a primary focus on market quality and the responsible sourcing of PGMs. IRMA is a non-profit that works to better protect communities and the environment by creating financial value for mine sites whose performance is independently and transparently audited against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining.

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IRMA and ResponsibleGlass logosIRMA and ResponsibleGlass logosBlog

ResponsibleGlass and IRMA forge foundational partnership to drive responsibility in glass supply chains

21 October 2025By

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Date: 21 October 2025.   ResponsibleGlass, the newly formed global multi-stakeholder not-for-profit standards and certification programme for the responsible low-carbon production of glass, today announced a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA).

This MOU marks the first major collaboration for ResponsibleGlass and establishes a clear path to align the new developing glass standard with IRMA’s comprehensive best practices for the responsible extraction and processing of the materials critical to glassmaking, including sand, silicates and soda ash (trona).

Both organisations share a core belief in the value of multi-stakeholder governance – involving civil society, labour advocates, mining and processing companies, manufacturers, product end users and the finance sector – to drive positive environmental and social change.

The collaboration will focus on several significant areas:

  • Standards Alignment: ResponsibleGlass will align its requirements for the sourcing of mined materials with IRMA’s established standards to strengthen due diligence and transparency from the points of extraction.
  • Avoiding duplication: by leveraging IRMA’s existing assurance system for raw materials, the partnership aims to avoid duplication and inefficiency in developing standards for the entire glass supply chain.
  • Market Demand:  the organisations will work together to communicate with downstream glass users, building market demand for responsibly sourced glass in high growth sectors such as building, automotive, solar and technology industries.
  • Shared systems: the organisations will also explore the potential to develop joint systems for managing the chain of custody of materials through the glass supply chain, from “cradle to grave”.

Francis Sullivan, chair of ResponsibleGlass, commented on the significance of the partnership:

“This partnership with IRMA is a foundational step for ResponsibleGlass and immediately injects world-class credibility into our initiative.  Our mission is to ensure the entire glass supply chain is responsible, and that journey starts at the source. By aligning with IRMA, the global leader in responsible mining assurance, we will ensure our standard for essential inputs like sand and soda ash are robust, credible, and truly benefit the people and lands involved in extraction.  This is how we build a glass standard the world can trust.”

Aimee Boulanger, Executive Director of IRMA highlighted the strategic alignment:

“IRMA’s standards are built on a foundation of multi-stakeholder equal governance, driving value for better social and environmental practices in mining.  This collaboration with ResponsibleGlass is a logical and powerful extension of our work. It allows us to apply our expertise to key glass inputs – avoiding duplication and accelerating market demand for responsibly sourced glass in critical sectors. This partnership shows how two independent organisations can collectively create a more resilient and responsible global supply chain.”

The specific actions and joint programmes under the MOU will be developed over time, focusing on accelerating the shift toward more responsible practices across the glass industry.

FOR MORE INFO contact:
Ali Lucas, Project Director – ResponsibleGlass +44 (0) 7786 546724
Ali.lucas@responsibleglass.org

Rebecca Burton, Deputy Director – IRMA
info@responsiblemining.net

NOTES: 

  1. This MOU is nonexclusive between ResponsibleGlass and IRMA.
  2. Further information on ResponsibleGlass can be found here: www.responsibleglass.org
  3. Further information on IRMA can be found here: www.responsiblemining.net

 

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IRMA and CCCMC panelIRMA and CCCMC panelAsia

MOU with CCCMC

24 September 2025By

Today IRMA entered a new collaboration to advance more responsible mining.

At the International Forum on Sustainable Mineral Supply Chains in Xiamen, IRMA and the China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals & Chemicals Importers & Exporters (CCCMC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen collaboration on responsible mineral production.

Through this agreement, IRMA and CCCMC will work together to:
✅ Align standards and reduce duplication across assurance models
✅ Pilot co-audits to streamline expectations
✅ Provide joint training and capacity-building at mine sites
✅ Exchange lessons on system-wide grievance mechanisms
✅ Maintain ongoing dialogue to respond to global trends and stakeholder needs

This marks an important step in promoting transparency, accountability, and positive outcomes across the minerals value chain.

Chinese IRMA Draft 2.0 Standard coverAs we look forward to deepening this collaboration in support of companies, stakeholders, and communities worldwide, we are thrilled to release a Chinese version of the IRMA Standard v2.0 Draft 2 for public consultation. Please submit your comments!

Our goal is to make responsible mining standards accessible to all stakeholders, everywhere. The translation was made possible thanks to the fantastic work of Landscape Consulting.

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