Dear friends,
We are pleased to share that the Consolidated Mining Standard Initiative (CMSI) Governance Model has now been published, alongside a report outlining how feedback from the first public consultation on the Governance Model has been addressed. This is a significant milestone for the CMSI towards an independent Board with multi-stakeholder participation to oversee the Standard and its implementation. The model reflects the rich and valuable feedback received during the public consultation and through ongoing engagement with our Stakeholder and Industry Advisory Groups.
We are deeply grateful to all who contributed their time and expertise.
The Governance Model sets out how the Board will be formed and how it will function, ahead of a public, open call for Board applications to follow.
The Governance Model comprises a 17-member Board of Directors, led by an Independent Chair, with balanced representation across the mining sector and the broader minerals and metals value chain, as well as a balance of commercial and non-commercial interests. Consensus-seeking decision-making processes afford equal and strong protections to all groups on the Board. Decisions that require voting must be carried by a 70% majority, by 3 members from each of the 4 groups.
The Board will comprise:
- Four Directors from mining companies – or their representatives – implementing the Standard.
- Four Directors representing mining-affected stakeholders and rights-holders — including Indigenous Peoples, labour, social/human rights, and environmental perspectives
- Four Directors from value chain companies committed to responsible minerals and metals value chains. This will include consumer-facing companies such as OEMs, standalone recyclers, smelters or refiners, and component
- Four Directors from non-commercial value chain stakeholders committed to responsible minerals and metals value chains – including (i) international NGOs, multi-lateral organisations, multi-stakeholder initiatives, and academics with expertise in responsible value chains; and (ii) stakeholders directly affected by midstream and downstream value chain activities who reflect social, community, environmental or labour concerns linked to the midstream and downstream.
Changes since public consultation
In response to the public consultation feedback, key changes have been made to how the initial Board will be formed, most notably the removal of the CMSI Partners from the process of selecting the Independent Chair.
The Chair will now be selected through a sub-committee drawn from the Stakeholder and Industry Advisory Groups; the Stakeholder Advisory Group will also play a central role in selecting other Board members. This selection will be preceded by a public, open call for applications or nominations in a way that encourages broad participation across stakeholders and geographies. Please see full details on our website.
Additional revisions have also been made to clarify the commitment to balanced representation of value-chain and mining interests, as well as commercial and non-commercial interests. These changes aim to ensure the model is inclusive of the perspectives of all stakeholders and rights-holders.
Transition to an independent Board with multi-stakeholder participation
The Governance Model will be adopted by The Copper Mark as it evolves to become the Secretariat for the Standard. The Copper Mark’s own Governance Model, including its current independent Board and Advisory Council, will evolve to the 17-member Board of Directors.
As intended by the Partners ahead of the first public consultation, publishing the Governance Model now, prior to the final public consultation on the draft Standard, Assurance Process and Claims Policy, will allow for sufficient time to recruit and establish the new Governance Model. This is intended to allow the evolved Board to be able to provide meaningful input into the finalisation of the Standard, Assurance Process and Claims Policy, such that the documents will be approved solely by the evolved Board.
As The Copper Mark evolves to oversee the new Consolidated Mining Standard, alongside its existing operations, standard, and assurance framework, it is currently undertaking a rebranding initiative to reflect its new scope.
As always, we thank you for your continued engagement and support and look forward to updating you on the Board application process soon.
Best wishes,
Caroline, on behalf of the CMSI partners