Paris, May 11, 2023
Eramet has chosen the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) to assess the CSR performance of its operational sites. This international, objective and independent standard allows audited activities to be certified as “responsible” according to the most demanding criteria. After a self-assessment carried out at the end of 2022, Eramet is initiating the independent evaluation of its Eramet Grande Côte Opérations (GCO) site in Senegal. The launch of this external audit by a third party will make Eramet one of the first mining groups to publicly demonstrate its commitment to the IRMA process.
Finalized in 2018, the IRMA standard establishes an international standard for assessing the social and environmental performance of operating mines. This standard was developed over a ten-year period through a public consultation process involving more than 100 entities and various organizations, including customers, downstream users of mining products, NGOs, unions, communities and mining companies.
Its fair and multi-stakeholder governance (NGOs, international unions, customers, buyers, host communities, financial sector representatives, mining companies) ensures the legitimacy of the initiative and guarantees the high level of demand of the standard as well as the transparency of the mine certification process.
Eramet has been committed for several years to a voluntary progress approach that places corporate social responsibility at the heart of its strategy and activities. This is reflected in its Mission Statement: To become a benchmark for the responsible transformation of the Earth’s mineral resources, for living well together. The launch of this external audit marks a new important step in the Group’s commitment.
The criteria evaluated by the Initiative cover all the aspects retained by Eramet in its CSR roadmap in terms of occupational safety, community relations, environmental protection, human rights and governance.
By launching the IRMA evaluation of its activities in Senegal, Eramet is opening itself up to stakeholder feedback in a progress approach and encouraging broad engagement from members of the mining community, workers, NGOs, its customers and investors. Through this increased dialogue, the aim is to better understand the areas where performance improvement is possible. From the start of the evaluation process, the contact details of the external audit firm will be available on the IRMA website and interested stakeholders will be able to share their perspectives and ask to be kept informed of progress.
After this first external audit in Senegal, Eramet aims to engage all of its mining sites in this independent verification process by 2027.
