The minerals industry internationally has adopted the Brundtland Commission’s definition of sustainable development: “… development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
To harness this commitment within a strategic framework, the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) adopted a set of sustainable development principles in May 2003 which pledged the international industry including the industry in Australia to:
1. Implement and maintain ethical business practices and sound systems of corporate governance.
2. Integrate sustainable development considerations within the corporate decision-making process.
3. Uphold fundamental human rights and respect cultures, customs and values in dealings with employees and others who are affected by our activities.
4. Implement risk management strategies based on valid data and sound science.
5. Seek continual improvement of our health and safety performance.
6. Seek continual improvement of our environmental performance.
7. Contribute to conservation of biodiversity and integrated approaches to land use planning.
8. Facilitate and encourage responsible product design, use, re-use, recycling and disposal of our products.
9. Contribute to the social, economic and institutional development of the communities in which we operate.
10. Implement effective and transparent engagement, communication and independently verified reporting arrangements with our stakeholders.
ICMM members and others in the minerals industry have pledged to report on their progress in implementing these principles against a set of sustainable development indicators prepared in partnership with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) as a mining and metals supplement to the 2002 GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines .
To give practical effect to its commitments to the International Principles for Sustainable Development, the Australian minerals industry developed Enduring Value – the Australian Minerals Industry Framework for Sustainable Development.