Mining Principles
Increasingly, society understands that the decarbonising of the global economy and realising the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires a sustained demand for metals and minerals over the coming decades.
This has rightly led to greater scrutiny of where these materials have come from and of whether they are being produced responsibly. Our enhanced Mining Principles define good practice environmental, social and governance requirements for the mining and metals industry.
ICMM’s Mining Principles are aligned with the objectives of other responsible sourcing initiatives. Our Assurance and Validation Procedure reinforces commitments to transparency, and ensures the credibility of reported progress. The environmental, social and governance demands on industry are becoming increasingly complex and at the same time essential. We encourage all mining companies to apply good practice environmental, social and governance practices to the production of metals and minerals.
Principle 1
Apply ethical business practices and sound systems of corporate governance and transparency to support sustainable development.
Learn more
Principle 2
Integrate sustainable development in corporate strategy and decision-making processes.
Learn more
Principle 3
Respect human rights and the interests, cultures, customs and values of employees and communities affected by our activities.
Learn more
Principle 4
Implement effective risk-management strategies and systems based on sound science, and which account for stakeholder perceptions of risk.
Learn more
Principle 5
Pursue continual improvement in the health and safety performance with the ultimate goal of zero harm.
Learn more
Principle 6
Pursue continual improvement in environmental performance issues, such as water stewardship, energy use and climate change.
Learn more
Principle 7
Contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and integrated approaches to land-use planning.
Learn more
Principle 8
Facilitate and support the knowledge-base and systems for responsible design, use, re-use, recycling and disposal of products containing metals and minerals.
Learn more
Principle 9
Pursue continual improvement in social performance and contribute to the social, economic and institutional development of host countries and communities.
Learn more
Principle 10
Proactively engage key stakeholders on sustainable development challenges and opportunities in an open and transparent manner, effectively report and independently verify progress and performance.
Learn more
Position Statements
Position Statements are endorsed by the ICMM Council and include specific commitments that members must implement, alongside the Performance Expectations.
Learn more
Assurance and validation
Assurance and validation processes reinforce our members' commitment to transparency, and ensures the credibility of reported progress on social and environmental performance.
Learn more