Industry leaders sign MoU on responsible tin sourcing

The International Tin Association (ITA) and the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) have announced an important new step forward for responsible tin sourcing. ITA have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RMI agreeing a series of co-operative actions including joint development of new assessment criteria for smelter auditing.

The MoU sets out a series of objectives and collaboration mechanisms for the future working relationship between ITA and the RMI, including the establishment of a joint taskforce, aiming to enable tin stakeholders at all levels to demonstrate compliance with regulations and wider expectations for responsible supply chains. With ITA and RMI memberships including very significant representation from both upstream and downstream tin industries this opportunity will achieve an equal and effective value chain approach.

“We are excited to announce this important new step forward for the tin industry” said Kay Nimmo, sustainability manager at ITA. “This further demonstrates the leadership capabilities of both ITA and the RMI and their determination to take on the very significant technical and political challenges involved in bringing the whole supply chain together to provide realistic but robust compliance solutions for responsible sourcing of tin.”

This collaboration marks a new chapter in advancing ITA’s and RMI’s common objectives for the responsible sourcing and production of tin,” said Leah Butler, vice president, Responsible Business Alliance. “Our organisations bring together a unique set of capabilities, perspectives and influence that will enable us to address the evolving needs of industry and stakeholders and build on the systems of today to achieve greater positive impacts.”

Central to the new agreement, work is already underway to review tin smelter audit criteria and procedures designed to demonstrate company implementation of OECD due diligence. Maximising the alignment of these criteria with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance is intended to lead to recognition by the European Commission under the new EU Minerals Supply Chain Due Diligence Regulation and ultimately harmonisation with other upcoming requirements such as from the LME.

A new draft joint ITA-RMI Assessment Criteria is expected to be available by the second half of 2019, and auditing options will exist for smelters to demonstrate conformance with the RMI’s Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP) and the responsible sourcing standard of the ITA Code of Conduct for tin producers.

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