ICMM - International Council on Mining & Metals

NEWS

29.01.09
GRI comment period on sustainability reporting guidelines opens

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and ICMM have opened a three-month public comment period on sustainability reporting guidelines in the mining and metals sector.

It is the official opportunity for anyone interested to provide comments and feedback on the draft Mining and Metals Sector Supplement - comment is welcome via this survey.

In addition to the universally applicable G3 Guidelines for sustainability reporting, the Mining and Metals Sector Supplement will assist firms in the mining and metals industry to produce more effective sustainability reports by offering guidance specifically tailored to the mining and metals sector.

The draft supplement has been prepared by an international multi-stakeholder group comprised of individuals from the mining and metals industry, NGOs, labour unions and investors.  GRI led the process - with support from ICMM - through which consensus between the groups was reached.

The multi-stakeholder GRI Working Group developing the supplement will review all survey responses and make changes accordingly.

Aidan Davy, at ICMM, said “There are some mining sector-specific issues of interest to our members and their stakeholders - such as the management of overburden, waste rock and tailings, or proximity to artisanal and small-scale mining activities - that are not covered in the G3 Guidelines. The Sector Supplement should bridge this gap and help to ensure more consistent public reporting on such issues.”

“Mining and metals firms face unique sustainability challenges relating to, for example, their potential impacts on the environment and on local communities, and they therefore require specific tailored guidance on sustainability reporting in addition to the globally applicable GRI Guidelines.  We are thus delighted to be working with ICMM - the industry’s leading membership body - as well as with NGOs, investors and labour unions, in developing such guidance,” said Maaike Fleur, GRI’s Sector Supplements Manager.

The public comment period will remain open until 29 April 2009.