Responsible Mining Index

The extraction of minerals and metals is often associated with major challenges for resource-rich developing countries. The practices of large mining companies play a decisive role to assure that the developing countries can indeed benefit from this major potential richness. There is a need for making information on economic, environmental, social and governance practices of mining companies comparable and freely available, thereby reducing the information asymmetry. Switzerland has a particular responsibility in this regard as one of world's leading centers of commodities trading and processing.

Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) refers to the three central factors in measuring the sustainability and societal impact of an investment in a company or business. EESG is expanded to cover also an economic dimension. In other words, the extractive value chains should benefit the economies, improve the lives of peoples, and respect the environments of producing countries, particularly in some of the world’s poorest regions, while allowing for companies and their investors to benefit in a fair and viable way. It will do so by encouraging continuous improvement in responsible mining practices by large-scale mining companies.

The program is structured in four thematic outcomes areas:

1) Increased awareness by large-scale mining companies, downstream trading companies, customers and other stakeholders of what society expects on economic, environmental, social and governance (EESG) issues.

2) Stakeholders better equipped with the information and tools to build knowledge and know-how, and enable learning, engagement and action on responsible EESG practices.

3) Increasing engagement with large-scale mining companies, traders and customers, and other stakeholders to normalise responsible EESG practices across the extractives value chain.

4) Articulation and application of society expectations on EESG issues challenge the status quo of company policies and practices in the extractives value chain.

Principaux résultats attendus:  

Publication of the RMI Report 2022, the next performance review of large-scale mining companies (and subsequently in 2024)

Roll-out of the Mine Site Assessment Tool, an easy-to-use introductory tool for mine site engagement.

Research Insights: Short evidence-based observations on EESG topics

Publication of Responsible Extractives Trading Study 2021 (a study of EESG issues related to extractive commodities trading)

Severe Adverse Impacts study 2021 and possibly 2023

Other studies and researched contributions to international initiatives conducted by organisations like UNEP, OECD, EITI, ISEAL, EU and UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights.

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

Two reports have been published: The first Index in 2018 assessed 30 large and globally dispersed mining companies, accounting for approximately 25 percent of global mining production, ranking these companies according to 6 thematic areas (economic development, business conduct, lifecycle management, community wellbeing, working conditions and environmental responsibilities).

In phase II, the Responsible Mining Index 2020 assessed about 40 large and globally dispersed mining companies, accounting for approximately 28 percent of global mining production. This work has been complemented by a study consisting of a deep-dive into each company, with the purpose to share best practice on a local mine-site-level ("Mine Site Assessment Tool"). The Responsible Extractives Trading study (RET) was launched during phase II. It will establish the baseline of the current level of attention to responsible and transparent practices of trading companies.

Phase 3 01.01.2021 - 31.12.2024   (Active)