Standards Revision Digest #1 (May 2025)
The first edition of ASI’s Standards Revision Digest highlights early progress on the evolving structure, performance levels, and thematic criteria of the Standards, with active input from Working Groups and the Standards Committee helping shape the path forward.
27 May 2025
Following the formal launch of the ASI Standards Revision in March, our work continues on our ambitious agenda to develop and evolve our standards. We are likely to see notable changes across the ASI standards including: to the overall structure; through introducing different levels of performance; and updated and novel requirements across the different thematic areas. Read more below in our Standards Revision Digest.
Revision Timeline – where are we now?
Review of current standards
September – November 2024
From September to November 2024 ASI conducted a review of its current standards. The review recommended a full revision of the Standards.
Pre-launch preparations
November 2024 – March 2025
ASI’s Standards Committee with support from the ASI Secretariat discuss and develop Terms of Reference for the Revision, setting objectives and priorities for the revised standards.
Launch
3 March 2025
ASI launches revision of its standards.
1) Two launch webinars were held on 20 March 2025.
Hear directly from the ASI team on aims and priorities for the revision.
2) Join a working group - Deadline to apply: 31 March
We are establishing six Working Groups covering the focus areas of the Standards revision: Circularity; Climate Change; Nature Positive; Human Rights/Community Impacts; Labour Rights/Health and Safety; and Chain of Custody/Claims. The Working Groups will be made up of stakeholders and subject matter experts and will act as a sounding board to the revision process, providing advice, feedback and technical expertise where appropriate. For more information on the Working Groups including how to apply to join visit our Working Groups page.
3) Send us your views
Impacted by the revision of the standards? We would like to hear from you!
We will be running 2 periods of public consultation on the revised standards, details on how to feed in your views will published on the Revision Hub in due course. You can send your views directly to the Standards Team via consultation@aluminium-stewardship.org.
Detailed drafting and technical input
March – December 2025
Interested in giving expert input to our standards? Please contact us at consultation@aluminium-stewardship.org
First public consultation on draft standards
January – February 2026
Details on how to participate in our first round of public consultations will be published on this Hub and in the Revision Digest in late December 2025.
Reflecting and responding to consultation feedback
March – June 2026
Second public consultation on draft standards
July – August 2026
Details on how to participate in our second round of public consultations will be published on this Hub and in the Revision Digest in late June 2026
Revise and finalise
September - December 2026
Revised Standards approved
January 2027
We anticipate the Standards will be adopted by the Board in early 2027.
Launch of Working Groups
With the launch of the ASI Standards Revision process in March, we invited applications from ASI Members and supporters to join revamped ASI Working Groups, focusing on 6 thematic areas of the Standards. The role of the Working Groups is to act as a sounding board as the Standards go through the revision process.
Applications closed at the end of March and we are pleased to report that we have a broad and diverse representation in all the Working Groups. For anyone still interested in joining a Working Group, there are still some slots in the Community Rights and Participation Working Group, to register your interest in joining please email us.
Thank you to those who stepped forward to be involved – the Working Groups are an integral part of the revision process, providing invaluable feedback and expertise from across the aluminium value chain to ensure that the revised standards drive the impact that we all want to see in the sector. All Working Groups will kick off by the end of May and will convene approximately monthly. We will report in more detail on the discussions in the Working Groups in the next edition of this Digest (July).
Standards Committee meeting, 6-8 May 2025
At the beginning of May the Standards Committee met in France, with remote dial-in supported for some participants due to visa issues. Over 3 days the Committee discussed, in plenary and small groups, a range of issues related to the revision of the standards. The packed agenda covered not only a deep dive into specific criteria but also took a step back to consider the overall structure and approach on differentiation, materiality, risk assessments and implications for assurance and auditability. As an outcome of the meeting, the Standards Committee agreed to an overall approach to the structure of the revised standards, including:
- distinguishing between a minimum level of requirements and another tier of “leading practice” expectations in the new drafts;
- carrying out further research, with input from Working Groups, to ensure that the principles of materiality and relevance are reflected in the new standards
- continuing to explore how outcome-based criteria might be incorporated into the revised standards; and
- consulting ASI members further on their priorities for claims and information flow through the supply chain to inform next steps on Chain of Custody and Claims revision
The Standards Committee will now go back to a regular rhythm of online calls to continue to develop the revised standards. The Revision will continue to be an iterative process, with feedback, suggestions, discussion points being consolidated into working drafts for further consideration by the Working Groups and technical experts.
Looking ahead
- We will continue to develop the early drafts of the Standards with input from Working Groups, technical experts and auditors to ensure a strong focus on auditability from the start;
- Our next Standards Revision Digest, due out in early July, will cover further details on the main proposed changes across the thematic areas of the standards; and
- In July and September we plan to hold public webinars to update on progress and share developments from the Working Groups.
Stay tuned for further information on the Standards Revision Hub.
More information
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