Workshop 5 – Delivering effective net zero and just energy transition strategies

Do responsible mining standards really drive positive outcomes for mining in Africa?

There has been a significant growth in the adoption by mining companies of responsible mining standards, such as Copper Mark, IRMA and others. Demand from downstream end-users, is often a key factor driving uptake. However, do such standards provide genuine benefits to local communities and governments in producing countries? Or are the only real beneficiaries the downstream end-users who get to provide easy answers to questions about their responsible sourcing strategies?

Working Group Sessions

• The mining company perspective: Where does the pressure to adopt such standards come from, and what influence does that have on management decision-making? – What are the implications in terms of costs/disruption to the business? – What tangible benefits are seen from achieving certification?
• The community/civil society perspective: Do standards enhance or distract from companies’ engagement and work with local communities? – Does the interest of downstream end-users in mining standards create benefits that materialise at a community level?
• The government perspective: Is the imposition of external standards on miners by international buyers empowering or disempowering for national governments and regulators? – Are there opportunities to align the interests of producing countries with international markets through the use such standards?
• The Downstream perspective: How do downstream buyers, whether automotive or electronic, interplay with the vast array of standards and regulators, and how does Africa get the best from this relationship.