Image: SSE
SSE has become the first UK-headquartered energy company to join the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA).
Seattle, Washington-headquartered IRMA has the mission to protect the environment and the people who are directly affected by mining by setting best practice and standards and assurance on responsible mining.
In joining IRMA, an SSE statement explains that sustainability is one of its core values and that supporting responsible mining is one way of trying to do the right thing for the environment.
“The supply chains for the energy transition are underpinned by minerals and metals. Although SSE doesn’t source directly from mining companies, we still have a part to play in promoting sustainable practices,” says Rachel McEwen, chief sustainability officer at SSE.
“By joining IRMA, SSE is voicing our support for responsible mining that takes account of the interests and needs of stakeholders who have traditionally been unheard – a critical aspect of a just transition.”
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In joining IRMA, SSE joins the almost 100 members from mining and other sectors, including automotive, as the first UK energy company.
Other energy sector stakeholder members include Ørsted and Cisco.
Welcoming SSE as the newest IRMA member and commending their leadership in sustainability, Rebecca Burton, deputy director, said: “We especially appreciate SSE’s willingness to engage directly in support of more responsible mining. It’s an important signal that every point in the supply chain has a part to play.”
For companies such as SSE, batteries for energy storage are one of the main technologies that depend on mined materials.
But these also extend to every day items such as mobile phones and PCs and others with their lithium batteries
With its standard for responsible mining, IRMA enables mines to be assessed and scored against a range of best practices without providing any form of endorsement.
