Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA)

Founded in 2006, the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) is a non-profit, multi-stakeholder organisation focused on responsible mining standards and independent mine-site assessment. It was created by a coalition including NGOs, mineral purchasers, affected communities, mining companies, and labour unions. IRMA’s main framework, the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining, provides more than 420 auditable requirements covering several sustainability issues at industrial-scale mine sites. Unlike metal-specific schemes, IRMA applies across mined materials rather than focusing on one commodity. Its assurance model is designed to make mine-site performance more transparent to downstream buyers, communities, investors, and civil society.