ALEXANDRIA, January 23, 2023 – Through continued constructive dialogue, the International Tin Supply Chain Initiative (ITSCI) and the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) have clarified and confirmed both organisations’ mutual understanding of the engagement, process, and commitments regarding the RMI recognition Process for ITSCI as an upstream mechanism. The document setting out that understanding is publicly available here to support communication, including with members, auditees, and stakeholders. ITSCI commits to engage in RMI recognition according to the content of this document, which clarifies the RMI Recognition Process as it relates to ITSCI.
Both ITSCI and the RMI support the OECD Guidance, and the objectives and principles of Alignment Assessment information sharing, self-reporting by initiatives, and programmatic risk-based spot checks by users. The second independent alignment assessment of ITSCI is currently underway in line with the public commitment made on this matter.
The scope and extent of both the ITSCI alignment assessment and RMI recognition will be communicated transparently to support understanding of participating companies, while also emphasising that companies retain individual responsibilities for due diligence while making use of, but not solely relying on, any initiative.
ITSCI and the RMI have worked to achieve a lasting understanding supported by clarification and dialogue with experts and stakeholders, including from the tin and tantalum industries (the International Tin Association and the Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center). Discussions have also been informed by OECD paper on the role of industry initiatives in mandatory due diligence.
For more information, please contact:
- Jennifer Peyser, RMI Executive Director, jpeyser@responsiblebusiness.org
- Mickaël Daudin, ITSCI Programme Manager, mickael.daudin@internationaltin.org
