Our Members

An Applicant’s AIR must be prepared in accordance with the ICMM template and the Applicant’s last three independently assured sustainability reports (if available). The AIR must be built around the membership requirements of ICMM’s Mining Principles through first-party confirmation (ie self-assessment) of the existence and integrity of systems and/or practices relating to implementation of all member requirements. This report acts as a gap analysis of the company policy provisions, internal standards and management systems against the ICMM Mining Principles.

On that basis, the following report structure and content is required:

Section A – Background information

• Company and operations

• Sustainability vision, values and strategy
• Management team
• Board of Directors
• Beneficial owners, lenders and stock exchanges
• Legal and regulatory compliance, litigation and controversies

Section B – Prerequisite commitments

Included in ICMM’s member commitments are a number of requirements that a company would need to have in place to realistically embark on the membership application process. These include:

• Having completed at least one Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) compliant sustainability report, including independent assurance, and an ongoing commitment to producing such reports.
• Listing on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) website as a supporting company.
• Public commitment not to mine or explore in World Heritage Areas (irrespective of relevance to current or proposed operations) is clearly stated on the Company’s website.
• Public targets for Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions. 
• Public commitment to manage tailings storage facilities in accordance with the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management. 
• Public commitment to adhere to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights.

Section C – Sustainability management system(s)

• Overview
• Corporate framework of policies, standards and guidelines applicable to each management system
• Sustainability objectives and targets
• Compliance
• Emergency management and response

Section D – Risk assessment and management

• Description of Applicant’s sustainability risks
• Risk management process/system
• Approach to reporting material sustainability risks

Section E – Gap analysis against ICMM member commitments

The desktop assessment in Stage 2 is limited to confirming alignment between the AIR and the Applicant's previously assured sustainability report/s. To enhance the potential for success at this stage, Applicants are encouraged to engage their GRI assurance team in preparation of the AIR.

If the desktop review identifies material discrepancies that are unlikely to be resolved during future stages, the Applicant will be given the opportunity to address the issues or withdraw the application.

On completion, the AIR and desktop assessment report are forwarded to the IERP convened by ICMM (see stage 3). These documents are treated in strictest confidence (and are not shared with ICMM or its members).

The Applicant will bear any associated costs of preparing the AIR, using either internal staff or external resources, and the desktop assessment.

ICMM convenes an independent three-person IERP with the requisite skills to consider the application information and assurance reports from an Applicant and make a recommendation to the ICMM CEO concerning membership.

The terms of reference for the IERP are limited to considering whether:

1. The Applicant currently meets ICMM’s membership requirements and the extent and significance of any gaps;
2. The Applicant has the requisite commitment and capacity in place to fully implement the membership requirements within a reasonable timeframe; and
3. There are any reputational risks for ICMM or its members from, for example, Applicant not fulfilling the requirements of membership within an agreed timeframe and on an ongoing basis.

The IERP primarily bases its opinion on the documents submitted by the Applicant and a visit to the applicant's headquarters office, but it may request additional information, conduct additional interviews or undertake related work to develop a robust and defensible opinion. This may include selective site visits to projects or operations of the Applicant.

In addition, upon convening the IERP, ICMM will also solicit the views of existing Council members, in confidence and on an individual basis, for any particular areas of reputational concern about an Applicant. Any concerns that are raised will be conveyed to the panel for its consideration by ICMM and addressed via a response within the IERP’s report while maintaining anonymity of the source.

An applicant will be given the opportunity to respond in writing to any questions that the IERP may raise under their terms of reference, to enable them to reach an informed opinion. Once they have concluded their work, the IERP advises ICMM of their recommendation (see stage 4).

The options available to the IERP are that the Applicant either be:

1. Recommended to make a formal request for membership without restrictions based on full conformance with ICMM’s requirements; or
2. Recommended to make a formal request for membership but with a requirement to reach full conformance with ICMM’s membership requirements, in accordance with an agreed action plan, within two years (see stage 4); or
3. Recommended that the application conclude without membership, based on either inadequate conformance or capacity to comply within a reasonable timeframe (or related reputational concerns).

The decision of the IERP is final on the basis that they enjoy delegated responsibility from the ICMM Council. Only favourable recommendations of the panel will be communicated by ICMM to ICMM’s Council.

Where the IERP has made a favourable recommen7dation, and the Applicant proceeds to make a formal request for membership, formal acceptance is sought from the ICMM Council of CEOs, subject to the IERP’s conditions.

Applicants are required to provide written undertakings and assurances that they will implement the IERP’s conditions of membership within two-years or less.

As of the date of their admission, all members are required to undertake annual independent assurance and validation activities in line with ICMM’s Assurance and Validation Procedure. For full new members, this ought to demonstrate ongoing adherence to the ICMM requirements of membership on an annual basis.

Where a member has been admitted subject to conditions specified by the IERP, the IERP will reconvene at the end of the conformance period specified in the action plan, in order to assess the member's implementation of the requirements specified in the action plan. To begin this process, the company will prepare a self-evaluation report addressing its conformance with the action plan, and have that report assured by an independent third-party assurer. The IERP chair will be consulted about the selection of the assurer and will engage with the company and the assurer to agree on the assurer’s brief. Once the assurance process is complete, the company’s report and the assurance report will be forwarded to the IERP, which has the opportunity to speak with management and the assurers via conference call. If this review identifies particular areas of concern, the IERP can elect to conduct an in-person visit to the company’s headquarters to address those concerns as appropriate. The IERP prepares a report to ICMM on the status of the member's implementation of the action plan.

The costs of any such follow up by the panel are borne entirely by the new member. Once conformance with the IERP’s conditions has been confirmed, the annual independent assurance process that all members must undertake will serve as an ongoing check that the membership requirements continue to be met.

Further reading

ICMM (2020), Assurance and Validation Procedure.

ICMM (2020), Validation Guidance.