International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM)

=Profile=

The ICMM is a CEO-led industry group that addresses key priorities and emerging issues within the minerals sector. It seeks to play a leading role by promoting good practice and improved performance internationally and across different commodities. The ICMM provides a platform for industry and other key stakeholders and its vision is for a respected mining and metals industry that is widely recognised as essential for society and as a key contributor to sustainable development. The organisation is run by a small specialist team based in London, headed by President Dr. Anthony Hodge, who prior to working at ICMM worked in private practice as a consultancy engineer and served as President of Friends of the Earth Canada between 1989-1992. Anthony Hodge also sits on the board of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

The work of the ICMM is guided by the following five values:


 * Care for the safety, health and well-being of workers, contractors, host communities and users of materials produced.
 * Respect for people and the environment.
 * Integrity.
 * Accountability.
 * Open, transparent and inclusive collaboration.

=History=

The ICMM was established in 2001, when it emerged out of a multi-stakeholder research initiative which examined the role of mining in a sustainable future. The initiative recognized the industry's potential contribution, identified core challenges and set out an agenda for change.

=Activities=

ICMM member companies, including BHP Billiton, AngloGold Ashanti, Freeport McMoran and Codelco make a public commitment to improve their sustainability performance and are required to report against their progress on an annual basis. To become an ICMM member, a company must follow the admission process, which is a five stage process during which prospective members provide information about their businesses and undertake a gap analysis against the ICMM membership requirements. They must then obtain independent assurance and submit the information to an expert panel.

The ICMM in late 2011 was working on over 20 projects in support of the implementation of sustainable development principles, with the active participation of member companies. These include the 'Resource Endowment Initiative', a three-phase project launched in 2004 with the objective of which is to identify the factors that have allowed some countries to benefit from substantial resource endowments through economic growth and poverty reduction, thereby avoiding the so-called 'resource curse'. Following a comparative analysis of 33 mineral-rich countries and case studies on Chile, Peru, Ghana and Tanzania, practical steps were determined to be taken by governments, companies, local communities and aid agencies. The project has been overseen by an independent advisory group and industry involvement in the initiative was achieved through an ICMM working group comprising of around 20 companies and chambers of mines.

=References=