International Council on Mining and Metals

At a glance
This document provides an overview and introduction to the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM).
ICMM is one of the several standard systems that are referenced in Standards Map, the interactive web-based tool on
private standards developed by the T4SD program of ITC.

What is ICMM
• ICMM nominated companies representatives (known as Principal
ICMM is a multi-stakeholders initiative that was launched in 2001 with the Liasons) have the opportunity to express their voice during the four
aim to enhance sustainable development performance in the mining sector. annual meetings of the Executive Working Group.
ICMM promotes a Sustainable Development (SD) Framework which contains
10 principles and 7 supporting position statements into corporate policy and • The Executive Working Group effectively implements programs
set up transparent and accountable reporting practices. To ensure that its and budgets established by the ICMM’s Council.
members meet the sustainable development commitment contained in the
SD framework, ICMM develops extensive work programs on 10 different • ICMM’s work is also supported by an Associations Co-
themes: ordination Group that meets twice a year to discuss debated
issues and provide input to the Council and Executive Working
i. Climate change; Group. It also appoints two representatives that sit on the ICMM
ii. Reporting and assurance; Council for two years.
iii. Environment;
iv. Health and safety;
v. Socio-economic development, ICMM : facts and figures
vi. Communications;
vii. Mining: Partnership for development; • From the 2010 annual assessment of ICMM members’ performance :
viii. Materials stewardship;
ix. Resource endowment initiative; i. 16 out of 18 members have aligned their policy framework
x. Strategy and administration. on sustainable development (SD) issues with ICMM’s 10
principles and 15 of them have sought third independent
ICMM is currently composed of 20 mining and metals companies and party assurance on this subject matter.
31 national and regional mining associations and global commodity ii. All 18 members have reported on processes to identify and
associations. prioritize the SD risks and opportunities faced by the business
during the reporting period and the outcome and 16 of them
ICMM interacts with different categories of stakeholders: governments, have sought third independent party assurance on this
international organizations, communities and indigenous people, NGOs and subject matter.
academia. iii. All 18 members have reported on the systems and
approaches that the company is using to manage each (or a
section) of the material SD risks and opportunities and 16 of
What products are covered by ICMM them have sought third independent party assurance on this
subject matter.
ICMM covers minerals, mining and metals. iv. All 18 Members have reported on their performance during
the given reporting period for each (or a selection) of the
identified material SD risks and opportunities and 16 of
What are the key features of ICMM them have sought third independent party assurance on this
subject matter.
• The 10 principles contained in the ICMM SD Framework have v. 15 out of 18 members self-declared that their application level
been formulated considering the International standards of the GRI G3 Guidelines is A+, 1 that its level is B+, 1 that its
promoted by the Rio Declaration; the Global Reporting Initiative; level is B and finally 1 didn’t self-declare its application level .
the Global Compact, OECD Guidelines on Multinational
Enterprises; World Bank Operational Guidelines; OECD • The current ICMM 20 mining and metal member companies employ
Convention on combating bribery; ILO Conventions 98, 169, 800,000 people working in the sector in 62 countries all over the World.
176 and the Voluntary principles on security and human rights. • The 31 national and regional mining associations and global commodity
associations have reached 1,500 companies operating in the sector.
• The 7 supporting position statements of the SD framework
focus on six areas:
i. Policy on climate change; Support
ii. Mining: Partnership for development;
iii. Transparency of Mineral Revenues; • ICMM disseminates information to its stakeholders by providing a
iv. Mercury Risk Management; number of tools – the ICCM Library section online (http://www.icmm.
v. Mining and indigenous people issues; com/library), ICMM Newsletter and ICMM mailing list (http://www.
vi. Mining and protected areas. icmm.com/mailing-list).

• The SD framework also establishes that ICMM member

companies have to comply with the annual transparency and ICMM Contact Details
accountable reporting practices set by the Global Reporting
Initiative (GRI) by reporting their sustainable development International Council on Mining and Metals
achievements. 35/38 Portman Square
London W1H 6LR
• ICMM operations are supervised by its Council which is United Kingdom
composed by the CEO of all ICMM member companies, + 44 (0) 20 7467 5070
two elected representatives from the member associations, info@icmm.com
and ICMM’s President. It meets twice a year to take strategic www.icmm.com
decisions.

Source: Standards Map, Market Analysis Tools, International Trade Centre and International Council on Mining and Metals, http://www.icmm.com/. Last up-date: December 2011
For more information, visit Standards Map or send us an e-mail: standardsmap@intracen.org.
 ICMM is currently
operational in the
following countries and
regions.

Detailed maps highlighting countries

where certification / verification
is possible and countries where
certified products / services are sold
can be generated on ITC’s Standards
Map website.

19 coutries
SOUTH AMERICA Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru NORTH AMERICA Canada, Mexico, USA AFRICA South Africa ASIA China, India, Indonesia, Japan
EUROPE Belgium, United Kingdom AUSTRALIA & OCEANIA Australia.

How to join ICMM

Step 1: Application information report

• Interested stakeholders should first submit information that supports their application.

Step 2: Independent assurance

• The information submitted should be reviewed by a third independent party that evaluates the information’s
efficacy (the expenditures are sustained by the prospective member).

Step 3: Independent and confidential expert review

• The application is analyzed by an independent expert panel which provides a recommendation on whether the
applicant should be invited to submit a formal application at that stage (initiated by ICMM, with costs shared
between the applicant and ICMM).

Step 4: Decision

• Further to a favorable recommendation made by the independent expert panel, the applicant could decide whether
to proceed with the membership application submission.

• Once the applicant has submitted its application, this is transmitted by the ICMM President to the Council of CEOs
for formal acceptance, subject to the panel’s conditions.

• If the application is accepted, the applicant has to publically commit itself to the panel’s conditions of membership
implementation within the agreed time period

Step 5: Ongoing monitoring consistent with the existing ICMM reporting and assurance process

• An ongoing monitoring of member performance is conducted to evaluate whether this is consistent with existing
ICMM reporting and assurance process.

Source: Standards Map, Market Analysis Tools, International Trade Centre and International Council on Mining and Metals, http://www.icmm.com/. Last up-date: December 2011
For more information, visit Standards Map or send us an e-mail: standardsmap@intracen.org.