Governance and Oversight
The activities of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) are coordinated by staff and overseen by a Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee comprised of elected RMI members and non-industry representatives. Members of the RMI participate in a variety of working groups on specific issues and tools. The RMI is an initiative of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) and is managed by and housed within the offices of the RBA.
The RBA is an ISEAL subscriber, and through this subscription the RMI is working toward achieving full ISEAL membership, which will include an independent evaluation against the ISEAL Impacts and Assurance Codes.
RMI Staff
RMI staff manage the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP), Dowsntream Assessment Process (DAP) and Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Assessment for Mineral Supply Chains Process, which utilizes approved independent third-party audit firms. Get more Information on RMAP's Audit Firm and Auditor Approval process.
To contact the RMI, please email RMI@ResponsibleBusiness.org.
Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee
The RMI Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee consists of 11 voting positions and 3 ex-officio nonvoting positions. The Steering Committee is responsible for the strategic guidance and direction of the RMI and reports to the RBA Board of Directors, including but not limited to:
- The general management and direction of the RMI, including its goals and objectives;
- Development and oversight of the organization’s strategic plan;
- Approval of the annual operating budget;
- Establishing membership dues;
- Expulsion of Partner Members (Partner Members are companies not affiliated with RBA or GeSI);
- Expulsion of Partner Associations, with the reserved right to assess, on a case-by-case basis, the admission of Partner Associations;
- The decision to delegate tasks to committees and/or working groups and the oversight of these activities; and
- The management, review, and modification of the operating procedures.
The 2024 members of the RMI Steering Committee are:
- Kai Ammann, Head of Raw Material Strategy and Risk Management, BMW Group
- Kazuko Andersen, Deputy Director, Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (ex-officio)
- Ted Jeffries, Senior Director Supply Chain Responsibility, Intel (RBA Board Liaison)
- Heidi Jones, Human Rights Engagement Manager, HP Inc.
- Laura Kelly, Director, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
- Jan Knacksterdt, Project Coordinator, Human Rights & Raw Materials, Mercedes-Benz Group AG
- Maria Lancetti, Director of Commercial & Contract Department and Sustainability Officer at ZTE ITALIA (representing GeSI) (ex-officio)
- Joanne Lebert, Executive Director, IMPACT Canada
- Jean-Paul Meutcheho, Director of Sourcing and Corporate Sustainability, Global Advanced Metals (Chair)
- Marc Runyan, Director, Operations, KEMET
- Boukje Theeuwes, Head of Policy Influencing, Solidaridad
- Prerna Tomar, Director and Senior Public Policy Counsel, Samsung Electronics America
- Macani Toungara, Director of Social and Environmental Responsibility, Dell Inc.
- Jat Verma, Head of Responsible Minerals Sourcing, Operations, Apple, Inc., (ex-officio)
Independent Review Committee (IRC)
The IRC’s role is to review and issue a determination on appeals to an RMAP decision. The IRC meets as necessary when an auditee disagrees with the RMAP determination, or when the auditor and quality control process come to a standstill. All reviews made by the IRC must be done by quorum determined by majority representation of IRC members. Any voting IRC member shall not have a direct commercial relation with the auditee or auditor and, if so, must abstain from the review of the given report.
Currently the IRC consists of the following individuals:
- Patrick Neyts: 30 years of expertise in strategic supply chain transparency, traceability, supply chain auditing. International lecturer on globalization and ethics. Subject matter expert on ethics and systems standards and implementation including management process for transition/change and remediation. Expert witness to European, International and United Nations institutions, International Human Rights Court on Supply Chain and Human Rights.
- Michael Rohwer: Former Program Director for RMI and authored revisions to the RMAP Protocols, Procedures, and Standards and Instructions. Experienced regulatory attorney and frequent presenter on Dodd-Frank Act Section 1502 compliance and OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas.
- Steven B. Young: Professor with extensive expertise in sustainable supply-chains, corporate social responsibility and business sustainability, ISO management systems and standards, certification programs and auditing processes, and metallurgy and materials engineering.
Resources
The RMI is an initiative of the RBA, a non-profit 501(c)(6) tax-exempt organization. The RMI does not conduct lobbying activities.
The majority of the RMI’s funding comes from member dues. See the membership page for more information. The RMI also receives in-kind support from the RBA and project donations from Members and Partner Associations.
In 2015, the RBA established the EICC Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization to support the charitable, scientific and educational activities of the RBA and its initiatives, including the RMI.
