Influencing International Mining Policy

EARTHWORKS works to promote more environmentally and socially responsible policies related to mining and extractive industries. We do so by working on strong standards for mining in multi-sector, third party certification discussions, and by monitoring and influencing policies developed by international institutions, funding agencies, governments, and multi-stakeholder bodies. 

Some examples of our work:

• Helping found and coordinate the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), a system of multi-sector, third party development of standards and independent verification of standards for responsible large-scale mining. IRMA involves representatives from affected communities, labor, NGOs, jewelry companies, and mining companies.
• Helping coordinate a civil society response to the industry-led certification effort known as the Responsible Jewellery Council, a system that is flawed in a number of ways.
• Helping found and coordinate the Madison Dialogue, a cross-sector initiative examining principles and best practices for responsible small-scale and artisanal mining and recycling of precious metals. Through this effort we have highlighted some problematic aspects of draft Fairtrade small-scale gold mining standards
• Pushing for stronger guidelines for mining projects that the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC) invests in. We helped coordinate a coalition that criticised the lack of true reform by the IFC in drafting its new environment, health, and safety guidelines for large-scale mining.
• Providing comments on the Metals and Mining Supplement of the Global Reporting Initiative.
• Noting problems with the draft Business and Biodiversity Offset Program (BBOP) on the Metals and Mining Supplement of the Global Reporting Initiative.
• Participating in the Extractives Industries Review, a commission established by former World Bank President James Wolfensohn to evaluate the Bank's role in funding extractive industries.  EARTHWORKS was part of the civil society coalition monitoring the EIR; we participated in consultations in Lisbon and Washington, DC, and provided comments on several drafts of the report.
• Monitoring the activities of the mining industry trade association, the International Council on Metals and Mining (ICMM), including its partnership with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).