We’re looking forward to attending this year’s RBA and RMI conference in San Jose between November 18-21. TDi’s Joséphine Quioc and The Impact Facility’s David Sturmes will be there – please get in touch if you’d like to arrange a meeting with them at the event.
Here are some of TDi’s highlights from RBA and Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) projects that we’ve been involved with:  

Development of the RMI’s Risk Readiness Assessment (RRA)
The Risk Readiness Assessment (RRA) was devised to assess social and environmental risks in mineral extraction and processing, and to address the industry’s challenges in appropriately managing those risks for downstream companies. TDi worked with the RMI on the development of the original RRA as a voluntary self-assessment and reporting tool to help supply chain managers compare sustainability practices and standards used by businesses in their supply chains and identify which materials and geographies are applicable to which standards. The original RRA also acted as an early indicator of the benefits that harmonisation of standards between voluntary initiatives could bring.  

Researching the role of aggregators in the gold supply chain
TDi worked with the RMI on a 2021 study to analyse the relevance of aggregators within gold supply chain due diligence processes and their potential in achieving greater due diligence compliance. The report proposed due diligence criteria for responsible aggregator programmes, providing a baseline to stimulate discussion among RMI members about how best to engage aggregators in due diligence programmes and prioritise future research. It led to the first successful aggregator audit.  

Involvement in Responsible Mineral Assurance Process (RMAP) audits across the globe
The RMAP examines what systems and processes are in place to source responsibly as per RMAP and OECD guidelines. Verification to the RMAP provides assurance to companies that the smelters and refiners within their supply chain employ responsible sourcing practices and management systems, and are not sourcing minerals associated with conflict. 

TDi is recognised as an approved auditing firm for RMAP, and TDi auditors have carried out RMAP audits across the globe, from Germany to South Africa, and from Macedonia to Mexico. 

Auditability review of the Audit Protocol for Tin and Tantulum
Members of the TDi team worked with the Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative (now the RMI) to carry out a review of the Audit Protocol for Tin and Tantulum in 2016. This work helped to ensure that the requirements outlined in the protocol could be verified through internationally accepted methods for social, management systems, traceability and chain of custody auditing.  

Material Insights platform
TDi and the RMI launched the Material Insights Platform in 2021 to support responsible sourcing practices by providing insights into environmental, social and governance (ESG) data associated with crucial raw materials.  

The platform is designed to support a broad range of companies and stakeholders in navigating the compliance environment and to facilitate learning, collaboration and improved ESG management in mineral supply chains for 40 materials across more than 30 industries. Alongside this, the Platform highlights key standards and global initiatives, and their applicability for specific risks.  

Material Change report
The Responsible Minerals Initiative and Drive Sustainability (a partnership of 10 leading automotive companies that work together to improve sustainability in the supply chain) commissioned the original Material Change report in 2021. The report is a study of the risks and opportunities for collective action in the materials supply chains of the automotive and electronics industries. It presents a broad assessment of 37 materials used within these supply chains, and its aim was to enable industry-wide comparisons of the materials’ and main producer countries’ ESG issues and their importance in the manufacturing of automotive and electronics products.  

Work with ASM cobalt
Responsible sourcing standards have been a core element of the RMI since it was founded. In 2020 the RMI set out to develop a standard for cobalt from Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM), working with a range of stakeholders, including the Fair Cobalt Alliance, which is a multi-stakeholder initiative co-founded and hosted by The Impact Facility – TDi’s sister organisation. 

This ASM Cobalt Framework has been consulted on and supported by global cobalt supply chain actors, governments, international organisations, NGOs and Congolese stakeholders. The resultant ASM Cobalt Normative Framework was published in August 2023 as part of the RMI’s suite of standards and assurance tools, and has been piloted by independent assessors. It is built around six key principles: good organisational governance, respecting workers’ and affiliates’ rights, ensuring workers’ occupational health, safety and hygiene, contributions to community development, protecting the environment and natural resources, and trading transparently and fairly.