Customers, investors and governments are increasingly demanding transparency and accountability with regard to sustainable practices and responsible sourcing.
External assurance offers a compelling answer.
We have, therefore, committed to assess all Anglo American managed mines against leading external standards by 2025 as part of our Sustainable Mining Plan – and the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) is one of these standards.
As well as providing external validation of our performance in sustainability practices at a site level, IRMA’s approach to assurance aligns with our view that sustainability is a journey in which the emphasis is always on continuous improvement.
As such, the IRMA Standard helps shape our sustainable practices, as well as evidence them.
And while we continue to implement our own robust internal standards, we also reflect on feedback from sustainability audits, such as those undertaken by IRMA, to identify opportunities to improve our performance.
We have made efforts to embed corrective actions within our site-management systems to address any non-conformances identified in the audits.
Kumba Iron Ore (South Africa)
Kumba’s Sishen and Kolomela mines are the first iron ore mines in Africa to complete IRMA audits and attain the IRMA 75 rating.
The adoption of IRMA has driven significant improvements in Kumba’s management practices, prompting the implementation of a revised Adaptive Water Management (AWM) approach.
Through initiatives such as water-balance modelling, rain-readiness planning and water quality and quantity monitoring, the flexibility of AWM is enabling Kumba to understand and enhance its resilience against climate-related water risks, and helping to deliver a stable and reliable water supply for its operations, as well as host communities.
Minas-Rio iron ore mine (Brazil)
Minas-Rio is the first iron ore producing mine in the world to complete an IRMA audit, achieving the IRMA 75 rating.
The audit report had highlighted a need to improve transparency and communication with stakeholders, particularly with the communities directly impacted by the operations, to ensure a clearer and more accessible flow of information.
The mine has responded by implementing improvements in its stakeholder engagement process, particularly through the enhancement of communication channels, including the creation of the Comunidade Anglo American WhatsApp group for faster information sharing.
Additionally, a feedback mechanism was introduced for participants of the co-existence committee – a formal advisory body that can raise collective issues from a range of local stakeholders – and other dialogue groups to garner feedback on the mine’s activities and stakeholder interactions.
In response to greater demand for transparency, the mine has also increased the information available publicly through the Anglo American website, such as mine closure reports.
Next steps
At the great majority of its sites, Anglo American has moved beyond having its mining operations merely being audited against IRMA; we are now in the ‘post-implementation’ phase, bedding-down what we have achieved to date.
We are also continuing to make our stakeholder impact, particularly in host communities, a more positive and sustainable one through our adherence to the IRMA standard.
