Responsible Practices at the Mine Site of Origin: DCAF-ICRC Toolkit and International Code of Conduct included in the Draft IRMA Standard V.2
The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) has recently closed the public consultation for the 2nd draft of the Standard for Responsible Exploration, Extraction, and Processing of Minerals (IRMA v.2.0 Draft 2 or IRMA Standard). The DCAF-ICRC Partnership’s feedback to this process have supported and strengthened this rigorous standard for the mine or processor of origin.
In particular, the Security and Human Rights Toolkit and the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Providers are cited as highly relevant guidance and recommendations in the Security Forces Chapter.
Together with its Chapters on Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas, Indigenous Peoples, Labor and many other social issues, IRMA v.2.0 Draft 2 has synthesized international human rights law, international humanitarian law and environmental standards into a single document of expectations for companies, integrating security arrangements as key elements for companies to be audited against.
Highly supported by civil society, IRMA’s approach to responsible mining is to independently assess social and environmental performance at the mine site-level, using the IRMA Standard. This framework seeks to foster transparency regarding the effects of mining and to enhance practices throughout supply chains through impartial verification. In a February 2025 Assessment of Third Party Assurance and Accreditation Schemes in the Minerals, Steel and Aluminum Sector, IRMA was the strongest performer by a considerable margin and was the only standard to achieve full points when it comes to multi-stakeholder governance. As of January 2025, 22 sites were engaged in IRMA audits, with 11 initial audits underway and 11 audit reports published.
