RECORDED WEBINAR
Responsible Mining in a New Era of Accountability
IRMA, ESG & Investor Expectations — From Commitments to Measurable Outcomes
Missed the live session? Watch the complete webinar on demand and gain practical insights from IRMA and industry experts on responsible mining, ESG readiness, and building credible, measurable outcomes.
Event Details
Originally held on
5 August 2026
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Online Webinar
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Watch the Webinar Recording
Watch the full webinar featuring experts from IRMA, responsible mining, and ESG as they discuss IRMA readiness, ESG data management, investor expectations, and practical approaches to achieving audit-ready sustainability performance.
Featuring experts from IRMA, responsible mining and ESG
Aquinar Malatji
Dr. Shashi Kad
Dr. Lamack Dzviti
Sandeep Nair
Key Takeaways
Responsible Mining Is Becoming a Business Imperative
Expectations around responsible mining are changing. Mining companies are increasingly being asked to provide credible evidence of their environmental, social and governance performance; not simply policies and commitments.
This webinar brings together IRMA and industry experts to address common misconceptions, discuss practical readiness challenges and explore how mining companies can strengthen data, governance, evidence and reporting.
Why Attend?
What Was Covered
IRMA Myth-Busting: What Mining Companies Need to Know
A focused presentation from IRMA addressing common misconceptions and clarifying what the IRMA journey actually means for mining companies.
Followed by a live Q&A — 5 to 8 minutes
Expert Panel Discussion
A practical conversation exploring responsible mining expectations, IRMA readiness, ESG data and the challenges of moving from commitments to measurable outcomes.
- Where mining companies commonly struggle with readiness.
- The gap between ESG commitments and credible evidence.
- Data, governance and reporting challenges.
- Investor, customer and stakeholder expectations.
- Building a practical pathway towards continuous improvement.
- The role of technology and AI in supporting ESG and evidence management.
Followed by audience Q&A and closing remarks
What You’ll Take Away
IRMA: Myth vs Reality
Gain a clearer understanding of IRMA, what the process involves and some of the common misconceptions surrounding responsible mining assessment.
Where Readiness Breaks Down
Explore the data, evidence, governance and internal coordination gaps that can make responsible mining readiness difficult.
From Commitments to Measurable Outcomes
Understand how mining companies can move beyond sustainability statements and build stronger systems for tracking progress and demonstrating performance.
How Technology & AI Can Support the Journey
Explore how digital platforms, automation and AI can help organise ESG data, manage evidence and strengthen sustainability reporting processes.
Free IRMA Readiness Self-Assessment Tool
Every attendee will receive an exclusive IRMA Readiness Self-Assessment Tool designed to help organisations reflect on their current level of preparedness, identify potential priority areas and start structuring a practical readiness roadmap.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is FPIC under Planning for Positive Legacies?
In the IRMA Standard, FPIC is placed under Principle 2 because it concerns fundamental decisions across the mine lifecycle, from project planning and expansion to post closure land use. It protects the long term rights, dignity, culture, and self determination of Indigenous Peoples.
Principle 3 focuses more on day to day social responsibility, while FPIC addresses decisions that shape project consent and the long term social and environmental legacy of a mine.
How can mines prove that workers understand their rights?
Signed training records alone are not sufficient. During independent assessments, auditors conduct confidential interviews with workers, contractors, and worker representatives to determine whether they understand their rights and feel empowered to exercise them.
A site must demonstrate practical understanding, not just documented training, to achieve a “Fully Meets” rating.
How can a mine show that its grievance mechanism is effective?
Auditors review grievance records, accessibility, anonymous reporting options, tracking, and remedies. They also conduct confidential worker interviews to determine whether workers know how to raise complaints and whether they fear retaliation.
If workers do not trust the mechanism or fear reprisal, this can result in a nonconformity even if a formal policy exists.
How do IRMA auditors verify that systems are implemented?
Auditors use three main sources of evidence: document reviews, physical observations, and confidential interviews with workers and other stakeholders.
They look for evidence of consistent implementation in daily operations. Systems that are only recently established or inconsistently applied may not achieve a “Fully Meets” rating.
How long is the rectification period?
IRMA does not classify findings as major or minor nonconformities. Instead, sites receive performance ratings against individual requirements.
Sites can have an Early Corrective Action Period of up to 12 months to address gaps and have them reverified before final scores and public reports are released. Critical requirements may also be reviewed during later surveillance and renewal audits.
How does IRMA differ from other mining ESG frameworks?
IRMA assesses performance at the mine site level through independent third party assessment. It considers documentary evidence, physical observations, and confidential interviews.
IRMA also provides graded performance levels and detailed public reports against individual requirements, giving stakeholders greater visibility into site level performance.
What value does IRMA provide to financial institutions?
IRMA provides independently verified, site level information on a mine’s environmental, social, and governance performance.
This can give financial institutions greater insight into the actual performance and risks associated with mining operations.
Can banks use IRMA for ESG due diligence?
Yes. IRMA assessment findings can be used as one source of information in ESG screening and due diligence for mining clients.
Financial institutions can consider the findings alongside their own ESG, risk, and lending criteria.
Can IRMA performance influence lending decisions?
IRMA performance can be considered as an input into credit risk assessments, lending decisions, or sustainability linked finance processes.
How the information is ultimately used depends on the financial institution’s own policies and assessment criteria.
How does IRMA ensure consistency across countries?
IRMA applies one global standard across all geographies. This ensures that achievement levels such as IRMA 75 represent a consistent level of verified performance.
Auditors still consider local laws, site conditions, and regional circumstances during the assessment without creating separate national versions of the standard.
Would IRMA 75 mean the same thing in India and Indonesia?
Yes. IRMA 75 is based on the same global standard regardless of location.
Local operating conditions are considered during the assessment, but they do not change the underlying benchmark or achievement level.
How can mines implement IRMA without adding reporting burdens?
IRMA is designed to build on existing management systems, operational data, and monitoring routines rather than creating a parallel reporting system.
Existing records such as water quality data, safety logs, environmental monitoring, and other operational evidence can support the assessment. The Mine Measure self assessment tool can also help sites organize their existing evidence.
How does IRMA complement ISO 14001 and ISO 45001?
ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 establish management systems for environmental and occupational health and safety.
IRMA builds on this foundation by assessing how effectively those systems work in practice and by covering broader areas such as human rights, FPIC, community engagement, and public transparency.
Mines with existing ISO certifications therefore have a strong foundation for IRMA readiness.
Do mines with existing ESG programs need to start from scratch?
No. Existing health and safety programs, environmental monitoring, community initiatives, ISO certifications, policies, procedures, and operational systems can all support IRMA readiness.
During the assessment, auditors review existing evidence to determine how well these practices meet IRMA requirements.
Which areas usually require the most effort?
Sites generally find policy development and planning easier than demonstrating effective implementation.
Areas such as meaningful stakeholder engagement, consistent implementation, access to information, and transparency can require greater attention during the readiness journey.
How can someone become an IRMA auditor?
Auditors work under an IRMA approved audit firm that has a contract with a participating mine.
They must complete IRMA auditor training, and their qualifications are reviewed as part of the audit scoping and team approval process. Conflict of interest checks are also conducted.
How can an organization become an IRMA approved audit firm?
Organizations must meet IRMA’s requirements for independent third party assessment firms, including relevant mining and technical expertise.
IRMA works with Assurance Services International (ASI) on the approval and oversight process, which includes document review and a head office assessment.
What are the costs involved in becoming an IRMA audit firm?
Costs include ASI assessment fees, applicable travel expenses, IRMA’s annual firm fee, and auditor training fees.
The figures provided in the original response, including the $2,500 annual firm fee and $600 initial training fee per auditor, were based on earlier information and may have changed. Current fees should therefore be confirmed with IRMA and ASI.
How can professionals become IRMA consultants?
Professionals can participate in IRMA’s Professionals Community of Practice, which supports ongoing learning, dialogue, and collaboration around the IRMA Standard.
Consultants work directly with mining clients, while IRMA remains impartial. Interested professionals can contact IRMA about joining the next cohort, which includes a paid training component.
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