The ‘Copper Mark’ seal means copper produced to meet the highest standards and that’s about to be a big deal says John Fennell.
Plumbers and home owners may not think much about the copper pipes they’re using apart from price and quality, but that’s about to change.
A new standard called “Copper Mark” is expected to upend how copper is produced and that will mean a big difference to the way it’s sold and marketed. It will also make a big difference for the environment, workers and communities.
Copper Mark was developed and launched by the International Copper Association—of which I’m a member—-late last year, but is now an independent body with a multi-stakeholder council. It was inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to meet high and transparent production standards.
The Copper Mark is the first and only program for responsible production in the copper industry. This means that copper miners wishing to get the Cop-per Mark seal of approval will have to undergo an independent and comprehensive verification of practices at copper production sites, including mines, smelters and refineries.
For MM Kembla, the only Australian company producing copper products here, it will mean a clear market edge when it comes to selling copper pipes and fittings that can be guaranteed to meet world class and transparent standards.
First Miner With Copper Mark
How tough that process can be was shown by the first copper mining site—Rio Tinto Kennecott Utah Copper in U.S.—to be awarded the Copper Mark.
The company’s Utah operations were independently assessed across 32 criteria, including the environment, community, business and human rights, labor and working conditions, and governance categories. This starts with a desktop-based self-assessment and independent review before on-site assessments take place to verify all standards are being met.
Re-assessment happens automatically every three years or can be triggered by significant operational changes or incidents. Meaning the Copper Mark goes beyond compliance to focus on continuous improvement of responsible production.
“The Copper Mark allows our customers to purchase copper from operations that have been independently assessed as meeting the highest environmental, social and governance standards, responding to the growing expectations of consumers around the world for sustainable supply chains,” Rio Tinto Cop-per & Diamonds Chief Executive, Arnaud Soirat, said in a statement.
Standards On The Move
Copper Mark couldn’t have come at a better time. Nearly half of mining companies globally rank license to operate as their biggest risk to business for the second year in in a row according to a new report.
Ernst and Young’s Top 10 Business Risks and Opportunities 2020 report found 44% of the world’s top mining executives say reputation & community support are their largest concerns.
That’s a big shift in just a few years. As E&Y’s head of mining and metals Paul Mitchell said “Perceptions of the sector as being old-fashioned and dirty need to be challenged, so building a social bond is make or break”—adding “Miners need to be part of the solution, not the problem.”
Plumbers here also rate a company’s credentials highly. A survey by Copper-head Research commissioned by ICA Australia and Kembla showed ‘Australian made’ was a big plus for plumbers and other trades, while sustainability was also high on their priorities.
Australian miners are already interested in the Copper Mark seal of approval and I know a number are looking seriously at joining in the next year or so.
Engaging with big and small copper miners, as well as other companies and organisations, is critical. To get the word out The Copper Mark and ICA visited seven copper producers in Latin America and Europe and held dedicated webinar sessions with ten producers across Asia, Australia, Europe and North America.
Progress is already looking good. Apart from Rio Tinto’s U.S. site, Copper Mark has announced four other companies who have begun the process to-ward approval. It also recently said that two major new partner organizations -Ford Motor Company and Google – now formally support the Copper Mark and a preference for Copper Mark producers in their procurement practices.
Copper Mark is a great step forward for copper products in a world where tradespeople and consumers are increasingly asking how green, clean and safe products are. MM Kembla I know is looking forward to being able to sell
products sourced from Copper Mark labelled ore to give them a clear edge in the Australian market.