Risk Readiness Assessment Revision

The Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) and the Copper Mark are revising the Risk Readiness Assessment (RRA) Criteria and corresponding Criteria Guide in 2021 / 2022.

The RRA is used by over 320 mining, smelting, refining, and manufacturing sites across multiple metals including Aluminum, Alumina, Bauxite, Cobalt, Copper, Gold, Graphite, Iron Ore, Lead, Lithium, Mica, Molybdenum, Nickel, Palladium, Platinum, Rare Earth Elements, Silver, Steel, Tantalum, Tin, Tungsten, and Zinc

The RRA is both a set of criteria for responsible production and a tool for companies to communicate their environmental, social and governance practices. Its main uses are:

1. As voluntary self-assessment and self-reporting tool for minerals and metals producers and processors participating in the RMI’s Responsible Minerals Assurance Process.
2. As the foundation of the RMI’s Environmental, Social, and Governance Standard for Mineral Supply Chains; and
3. As the foundation of the Copper Mark Criteria for Responsible Production against which sites are independently assessed during the Copper Mark Assurance Process.

The methodology of the RRA is available on the RMI website here.

Objectives

The last revision of the RRA Criteria was finalized in 2019. In this second revision, the RMI and the Copper Mark will work together to achieve the following main objectives:

1. Ensure the recognition and acceptance of the RRA as a credible set of criteria for responsible mineral production practices by key stakeholder groups, namely mineral producers, refiners, smelters or other producers of a finished metal product, supply chain companies, investors and civil society organizations actively involved in addressing social and environmental impacts of mineral production.
2. Respond to findings of benchmarking exercises with other voluntary standards applicable to mining, smelting and / or refining operations to adjust the RRA to:
   1. Ensure full coverage of relevant issue areas,
   2. Provide more clarity and prescription on the scope of the criteria, and / or
   3. Strengthen criteria where appropriate to ensure these continue to reflect the core expectations formalized in leading voluntary standards in this field as well as of key stakeholder groups.
3. Clarify requirements for the implementation and assurance of the RRA Criteria through accompanying Criteria Guide aimed at both implementing companies and assessors.

Timeline

An approximate timeline for the project is included below. All timings are indicative only and subject to change.

Activity	Estimated Timeline
Kick-Off Initial revision of the RRA Critera and Criteria Guide	June 2021 June – July 2021
Launch of the Technical Committee	July 2021
Revision Cycle 1 of the RRA Criteria and Criteria Guide based on input from the Technical Committee	July – December 2021
Stakeholder engagement: 6 monthly meetings of the Technical Committee 4 workshops Public Consultation Round 1	July – December 2021 October – November 2021 November – December 2021
Revision Cycle 2 of the RRA Criteria and Criteria Guide based on stakeholder consultations.	January – March 2022
Stakeholder engagement: 3 monthly meetings of the Technical Committee Targeted follow up with stakeholders from the workshops / public consultation	January – March 2022 January – March 2022
Revision Cycle 3 of the RRA Criteria and Criteria Guide based on stakeholder consultations.	April – June 2022
Stakeholder engagement: 3 monthly meetings of the Technical Committee Public Consultation Round 2	April – June 2022 June 2022
Revision Cycle 4 of the RRA Criteria and Criteria Guide based on stakeholder consultations.	June – September 2022
Publication	October 2022

Providing Feedback

We invite any interested stakeholder to provide feedback at any time by sending an email to info@coppermark.org and / or RMI@responsiblebusiness.org.

The RMI and the Copper Mark plan two public consultations on the draft RRA Criteria and Criteria guide as well as four dedicated workshops with key stakeholder groups. Detailed information on these opportunities to participate in the RRA revision process will be published on this website.

In order to ensure the feedback is constructive, please consider the following guidelines:

• Provide input into either the methodology, criteria, or format;
• Provide overarching comments and / or specific points for consideration but avoid “red-lining”;
• Avoid recommending changes where previously adopted language from international or other schemes’ standards / frameworks is directly referenced or used; and
• Please provide contact information to allow us to follow up with any questions.

---

Copper Mark Chain of Custody Standard

The Copper Mark Technical Working Group is developing a Chain of Custody Standard in accordance with this Terms of Reference.

The development process will be managed by Copper Mark staff utilizing the Standard Setting Procedure. The timeline for development, consultations, and finalization are intended to be complete for launch in 2023.  Opportunities to participate and consult will be announced with lead time.

Individuals interested in commenting on the Terms of Reference or generally remaining engaged through the standard development process may contact us at info@coppermark.org.