ICMM Equivalency Benchmark updated for ASI Performance Standard Version 3 (2022) criteria

16 February 2023

ICMM and ASI have recently collaborated to update the benchmark assessing equivalencies between ICMM’s Mining Principles and the ASI Performance Standard. The updated benchmark, which considers the new ASI Performance Standard Version 3 (2022), has revealed additional criteria that now fully meet the ICMM Mining Principles and Performance Expectations.

The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) is an international organisation dedicated to a safe, fair and sustainable mining and metals industry. ICMM brings together 26 mining and metals company members and over 35 national, regional and commodities association members.

ICMM’s Mining Principles and ICMM Performance Expectations (PEs) define good practice environmental, social and governance requirements for the industry through a comprehensive set of PEs. Implementation is supported by site-level validation, transparent disclosure of the outcomes and credible assurance of corporate sustainability reports. ICMM’s Mining Principles and ICMM PEs are a condition of membership for ICMM’s company members and apply to more than 650 assets (mine sites and other sites involved in the further processing of metals) in over 50 countries.

ASI and ICMM conducted a comprehensive Equivalency Benchmark in 2020 to see how the requirements of the ASI Performance Standard V2 are equivalent to, or differ from ICMM’s Mining Principles and associated PEs.

The Equivalency Benchmark was updated in 2023 following the publication of the revised ASI Performance Standards and Guidance V3 in May 2022. Compared to ASI Performance Standard V2, more criteria in the ASI Performance Standard V3 now meet the ICMM Performance Expectations:

• 1 Exceeds (previously 2)
• 30 Meets (previously 23)
• 6 Partially Meets (previously 11)
• 2 N/A (not changed).

See the table below for the summary of Assessment Results of ASI Performance Standard V3 against the ICMM Performance Expectations.  The full table and document can be found here.

This recognition means that for ICMM member assets that have undergone a third-party audit against the ASI Performance Standard — either V2 or V3 — within in the last three years, ICMM will recognise this audit result.  Assets that have already demonstrated conformance under the ASI Performance Standard do not need to repeat the validation for those requirements deemed equivalent (i.e., ‘meets’ or ‘exceeds’) to the relevant ICMM PEs.

If the PE is ‘Partially Met’ by the ASI Performance Standard requirements, the highlighted text and notes in the ICMM’s Mining Principles-Centric Benchmark table will say what additional evidence companies need to provide to meet the PE.

For those Entities that are certified against ASI Performance Standard V2, the 2020 Equivalency Benchmark applies. For those Entities that are certified against ASI Performance Standard V3, the 2023 Equivalency Benchmark applies. For more information, see the ASI webpage: https://aluminium-stewardship.org/asi-certification/recognitions-of-asi

 ‘ASI welcomes the update of the ICMM Equivalency Benchmark with the revised ASI Performance Standard (V3). Gaps that were identified in the initial Equivalency Benchmark were logged and addressed where applicable during the multi-year ASI Standards Revision process that took place during 2020 to 2022. Seven ‘Partially Meets’ ratings have now been raised to ‘Meets’ in this update.  ASI is committed to reducing duplication between mining and metal standards and enabling ASI Members to use their ASI Certification to meet the requirements of other standards.’

– Marieke van der Mijn, ASI Director of Partnerships

‘ICMM is pleased to share this updated ICMM-ASI equivalency benchmark. ICMM is committed to streamlining the landscape of mining standards, and these benchmarks support those companies implementing one or more standards at once. We thank ASI for their collaboration in this process, and look forward to seeing more disclosures of performance at the corporate and site level from companies across the industry.’

– Bryony Clear Hill, ICMM Manager, Standards, Reporting and Circular Economy

The updated benchmark has been delivered through an iterative engagement process between ASI and ICMM with external consultant support from The Dragonfly Initiative (TDI).

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