zimbabwe

At the Unki audit. Credit: Michelle SmithAt the Unki audit. Credit: Michelle SmithBlog

Community perspectives on IRMA: The Unki Mine audit

22 July 2024By

In late June the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA, an IRMA member) published Community success stories: Tracking service delivery and environmental issues, a blog explaining the Shurugwi Development Trust’s experiences with the independent audit of Anglo American’s Unki platinum group metals mine in Zimbabwe. We excerpt it below:

Through meetings facilitated by the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA), Unki mine embarked on a third party-audit process against the IRMA standard in 2019 that involved the Shurugwi community, [achieved] IRMA 75 in the audit report. In 2022, a surveillance audit for Unki Mine was done, communities shared their concerns with the audit firm SCS Global. This was after the mine publicly audited against the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) [voluntary] standard for Responsible Mining in 2019.

ZELA, which is the only Zimbabwean member of the IRMA Civil Society Organisations global working group on worker and community engagement rights participated in development of data collection tools for communities such as the Community impact survey, IRMA Audits and Communities, sample letter to mining company, tools that can be used to monitor service delivery, engage with mining companies and government. The IRMA processes have enhanced Unki Mine’s relationship with the community, through the community engagement forum which meets quarterly to discuss the company’s mining operations in the community.

Benefits of the Unki IRMA processes and audit to the Shurugwi Community

  • There is now great improvement in the relationship and trust between the company and the community.
  • There is now an active quarterly community engagement forum meeting where 2 people were selected from each of the surrounding villages to represent the community. The relationship is promoting access to information which is enshrined in Section 62 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
  • In addition to the Community Engagement Forum, there is an emergency and response Coordinator which includes village chairpersons.
  • The IRMA audit report is a source of information, assists in identifying gaps and strengths to improve our engagements with government through evidence gathering on mining operations and their impact on communities’ wellbeing, rights and the environment.
  • The IRMA audit reports assist us in carrying out our advocacy work and provides us with information to participate in national, regional and international dialogues such as Alternative Mining Indaba.
  • Unki mine funded 4 partners – Technoserve, World vision, Zvandiri and Apostolic Women Empowerment Trust (AWET) – to implement community development projects.
  • The company is capacitating women with knowledge on their health and empowering them to stand for their rights. It also encourages women in the apostolic sect to register and go for hospital deliveries.  In support, AWET also trains behavior change facilitators (BCFs) on safe motherhood.
  • Unki mine promoted hygiene in the community, building Double Blair Ventilated Improved Pit Latrines in ward 19 and part of ward 18 (now ward 4).
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Unki audit picture with Anglo IRMA SCS logosUnki audit picture with Anglo IRMA SCS logosBlog

Unki Mine Surveillance Assessment Update

12 August 2022By

The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) is pleased to announce the completion of the on-site portion of the third-party independent surveillance assessment of the Unki platinum group metals (PGM) mine against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. The Unki mine, located in the Midlands province of Zimbabwe, is operated by Anglo American Platinum. The on-site surveillance assessment occurred Aug 3-5.

What is a Surveillance Audit?

A surveillance audit is a mid-cycle verification to ensure no material negative changes have occurred at a site. It is not a re-assessment of all IRMA requirements. Surveillance audits follow much of the same process as a certification audit and include document review, on site-assessment, and community and stakeholder engagement. An IRMA surveillance audit confirms continued performance against critical requirements, verifies ongoing regulatory compliance processes, and evaluates progress on corrective actions. It also follows up on stakeholder input received since the prior audit and areas of risk identified in the previous audit and confirms no major changes have occurred that would impact the previously assessed achievement level.

SCS Global Services (SCS) is the IRMA-approved certification body carrying out the surveillance assessment.

Stakeholder Engagement in the Assessment

Interested stakeholders and members of the public can sign up to receive updates about the Unki mine assessment. The Mines Under Assessment page of IRMA’s website will also provide up-to-date information on all assessments.

Mine site stakeholders are invited to submit comments to SCS on the social and environmental performance of the Unki mine (in particular, how the mine measures against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining).

Unki mine stakeholders may also contact SCS if they are interested in being interviewed as part of the assessment process or being notified of the publication of the public report.

Stakeholder comments and expressions of interest in being interviewed as part of the audit process should be submitted by email or mail to:

SCS Global Services
2000 Powell St. #600
Emeryville, California, USA 94608

Email: visit the SCS website for this information and more on the audit.

Please forward this announcement, and feel free to contact SCS directly to provide names and contact information for other mine site stakeholders who may be interested in knowing about and participating in the mine site assessment process.

For More Information

 

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