The Responsible Minerals Initiative-RMI-and The Copper Mark have launched new versions of the Risk Readiness Assessment-RRA-and the Criteria Guide, version 3.0.
The RRA is a set of mineral-agnostic criteria for responsible production, sourcing, processing and recycling of minerals and metals. Version 3.0 of the RRA consists of 33 criteria covering environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks, and it defines due diligence requirements and responsible production, sourcing, processing and recycling practices for minerals and metals against which users can assess their performance.
The RRA was created by the RMI in 2017, has been completed by more than 600 mines, smelters, refiners, manufacturers and recyclers, across a broad range of metals, and has provided visibility for hundreds of downstream companies relying on RRA users’ voluntary disclosure of self-assessment results.
Following the release of RRA version 3.0, the RMI will align its ESG Standard to the RRA. Currently, the ESG assessment scope is at the facility level, and it will now be expanded to include supply chain risks. The RRA version 3.0 will be effective starting January 1, 2024, for companies interested in completing the RMI’s updated RRA self-assessment offline, and available through the RBA-Online tool from April 1, 2024.
The RRA Criteria Guide is also used by The Copper Mark to define the requirements its participants have to meet to receive the Copper Mark, Nickel Mark, Zinc Mark or Molybdenum Mark. To date, over 80 sites participate in the Copper Mark Assurance Process, thereby undergoing an independent third-party assessment of their practices at site-level against the RRA Criteria Guide. Starting January 1, 2024.
The Copper Mark will require all its new participants to be assessed against the requirements of the RRA Criteria Guide, version 3.0. Current participants that are due for assessment in 2024 will be able to choose between versions 2.0 and 3.0 of the RRA Criteria Guide and, from 2025 onward, all Copper Mark participants will be required to implement version 3.0. Version 3.0 of the RRA also recognises ongoing industry efforts that can be demonstrated via credible standards and globally established protocols and methodologies.
Stakeholders can view and download the RRA and Criteria Guide here on the RMI website and here on The Copper Mark website.
Copper Mark: https://coppermark.org/
