International Council on Mining and Metals
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The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) is comprised of 15 mining companies. The council was formed in October 2001 to comply with the mission set forth in the Global Mining Initiative. Criticism of lack of oversight in industrial mining operations from environmental and social groups created pressure on the companies to improve their practices. The ICMM now seeks to work with communities and governments to find ethical means to discover and extract metal ore from the earth.
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[edit] Sustainable Development
The ICMM has developed 10 principles to which member companies must adhere. These considerations resulted from a survey of concerned parties both within and outside the council. They seek to comply and reinforce guidelines established by organizations including the OECD and the World Bank.
- Implement and maintain ethical business practices and sound systems of corporate governance.
- Integrate sustainable development considerations within the corporate decision-making process.
- Uphold fundamental human rights and respect cultures, customs and values in dealings with employees and others who are affected by our activities.
- Implement risk management strategies based on valid data and sound science.
- Seek continual improvement of our health and safety performance.
- Seek continual improvement of our environmental performance.
- Contribute to conservation of biodiversity and integrated approaches to land use planning.
- Facilitate and encourage responsible product design, use, re-use, recycling and disposal of our products.
- Contribute to the social, economic and institutional development of the communities in which we operate.
- Implement effective and transparent engagement, communication and independently verified reporting arrangements with our stakeholders.
In combination with the 10 principles, reporting to the public regarding the activities of ICMM as well as independent appraisal of those activities helps ensure compliance.
[edit] ICMM Member Companies
- Alcoa
- Anglo American
- AngloGold Ashanti
- BHP Billiton
- CVRD
- Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold
- Lonmin
- Mitsubishi Materials
- Newmont
- Nippon Mining & Metals
- Rio Tinto
- Sumitomo Metal Mining
- Teck Cominco
- Xstrata
- Zinifex
[edit] Controversy
ICMM was established to provide guidelines for member companies so they could work toward sustainable development. Even so, many of the companies have been implicated in social and environmental scandals since the council's inception.
