Mining certification evaluation project: independent certification of environmental and social performance in the mining sector

This Discussion Paper sets a project to evaluate whether independent third party certification can be applied to the mining sector. The project will examine how certification could be developed for the mining industry, and will seek to develop measurable and auditable on-ground performance standards for a mine site that are acceptable to the project participants and stakeholders.

Independent, third party certification of environmental and social performance is proposed as a mechanism to enable mining companies to operate to an agreed level of on-ground performance and to be able to credibly demonstrate this to their stakeholders.

The paper demonstrates that certification has successfully been applied to two other major natural resource sectors, forestry and marine fisheries. The key features of certification that contribute to its success and adoption include:

• the standard developed is a benchmark for on-ground performance
• the standard is developed by a diverse group of stakeholders
• the certification is undertaken by an accredited independent certification organisation
• a "chain of custody audit" tracks the product from source to retail outlet
• an on-product label that enables market differentiation

Of particular importance to the mining industry is that certification in forestry and marine fisheries has demonstrated that certification can be applied to commodity-based sectors, enabling market differentiation on the basis of on-ground performance.

The paper concludes that there is potential for the development of a global system for independent certification of on-ground performance, allowing mining companies to credibly demonstrate their competence, thereby attaining the competitive advantage available to those able to prove their commitment to sustainable development.