(Justmeans.com / CSR News) - Materials Stewardship embodies the range of activities required to ensure the optimal and appropriate use of minerals and metals in society. It is a life cycle based concept and includes activities and actions to improve both the upstream processes that support the production of the material, and the downstream product(s) that it goes into. 

It is built on the premise that all participants have a shared responsibility for the performance of the whole materials cycle of which we are part, well beyond our direct operations. Accordingly it is vital for the mining industry to promote responsible design, use, re-use, recycling and disposal of the materials it produces.

Why Materials Stewardship?

Implementing materials stewardship ensures that the mining industry creates effective partnerships with downstream use sectors, policy makers and all other actors in the life cycle of our materials. This is an integral aspect of our members commitments contained in our Sustainable Development Framework and demonstrates our willingness to act beyond the mine or factory gate to ensure that the value of minerals and metals to society is maximized.

In addition to the clear social and environmental benefit, the business case for taking such an approach is undeniable. Through this work ICMM members can help to maintain their social licence to operate and maintain access to markets. These markets after all increasingly demand more sustainable materials.

Implementing Materials Stewardship

Our activities in Materials stewardship are divided into four projects with the following objectives:

1. Materials Stewardship Policy: strengthening the understanding and capacity of members and others within the minerals and metals value chain to apply materials stewardship concepts.

2. Life Cycle Management: establishing robust life cycle management practices throughout the mining and metals sector including work on life cycle analysis, recycling and eco-efficiency.

3. Chemicals Management: promoting sound, science-based chemicals management policies in the mining and metals sector.

4. Sustainable Consumption and Production: providing an effective interface between ICMM policies and the international debate on sustainable consumption and production reflecting the positive contribution of mining, minerals and metals to sustainable development and the industry’s stewardship of natural resources.