Contributing to IOM3 Policy Activity

Government policy shapes the economic and regulatory landscape in which materials, minerals and mining sectors operate.  Particularly as the UK faces the challenge of moving towards a more sustainable economy, it is vital that those with knowledge of the materials cycle are a part of policy making processes. IOM3 strives to raise the voice of our members in policy decisions that impact them and harness their experience to inform the transition to a low carbon, resilient and resource-efficient society.

Policy work at IOM3 takes many different forms. We engage with select committees, respond to government consultations, build relationships with officials and represent our membership on government taskforces. We also produce proactive reports, position papers led by our Technical Communities, hold engagement activities for members such as webinars and roundtables, contribute to panel discussions and thought leadership and work with partners to amplify key messages. You can read more about our activities here.

 

Why get involved

As IOM3 draws on the expertise of thousands of professionals from industry and academia we are recognised as a reliable and objective voice on the materials cycle. Moreover, building consensus across diverse sectors on policy issues further strengthens our impact and authority. The recommendations, insights and evidence forwarded by IOM3 can thus carry significant weight.

Contributing to IOM3 activities is a great opportunity to shape the policies that impact your field and UK society more broadly. If you are working, researching or studying in the materials, minerals and mining sectors, you have knowledge that decisionmakers need to ensure the effective and responsible delivery of national policy aims. Whatever stage of your career you are in, IOM3 wants to hear from you and help bring your insights to the UK policymaking space.

Tips for engagement

If you see an opportunity for engagement, but are not sure where to begin, here are three tips for getting the most out of IOM3 policy activities:

1. Focus on the role of materials
   Many relevant opportunities for policy engagement will not be explicitly related to materials. Rather, the government might seek inputs on broader industrial, social or environmental issues that intersect with the work of our communities. As IOM3, it is our role to highlight the significance of materials, minerals and mining to the wider policy discussion and harness our expertise in these sectors to advise government. This is the unique contribution of IOM3 and of significant value to our inputs. When responding to the Institute’s activities, it is therefore beneficial to focus on giving insights that are specific to your sector, rather than trying to encompass all issues relating to the government’s policy.
   Depending on the area, this might look like explaining the importance of materials to achieving certain policy ambitions, highlighting unintended consequences of a policy on materials industries, providing technical information or outlining business trends in your sector.
2. Write for a non-expert audience
   Government officials tend to work on a range of policy issues and are unlikely to have a detailed understanding of your industry or sector. This does not mean you should avoid going into specifics, but rather that your points may require additional explanation. What might seem too obvious to mention to someone with direct experience of the field may be an essential observation from a policy perspective. Spelling out the context of what is happening in your industry and illustrating these points through basic examples can go a long way. To make these insights accessible, try to avoid jargon or acronyms and provide sources for any data used.
3. Draw on your own experiences
   Whether you are a student, starting your career or have been working in your field for decades, your direct experience of the materials, minerals or mining sectors is valuable evidence in and of itself. While technical knowledge and data are important, so too is your opinion as someone interacting with these industries on a day-to-day basis. What trends do you observe in your sector, what does your workforce look like, what factors shape your work and how you do it? Answering these kinds of questions can give insights into how government decisions might interact with real businesses and industries on the ground. If your experiences indicate that a certain policy might be either problematic or beneficial, this can be extremely valuable information for decisionmakers.

If you are pressed for time

IOM3 engages with a diverse range of policy opportunities, some of which may coincide or have short timeframes. If you see an opportunity that you would think is interesting but do not have a lot of time to dedicate to a response, it is still possible to get involved. Here are some key tips for contributing if you have low capacity:

• Answer just one question: IOM3 will often include a list of questions when seeking inputs from members, however there is no expectation to answer every one. If you see one question that you know you can answer quickly and easily, this input will still be welcome.
• Don’t worry about giving a polished answer: As IOM3 integrates many diverse responses into a single output, it is almost always necessary to reword or restructure the inputs we receive. As such your response does not need to be a finished product – just focus on getting your point across.
• Go with specific examples: People might assume that if they can only give a brief response, they need to keep their answer general. The opposite is true! Provided you can explain it in accessible terms, giving even one concrete example from materials, minerals or mining sectors you think is relevant to a question can be more valuable than writing a surface level overview of the policy area.
• Share sources or contacts: If you do not have the time to give an input yourself, you can always reach out to share relevant sources or suggest a contact for someone who might be interested in contributing.

If you want to get involved in IOM3’s policy work, we regularly post opportunities for engagement on our Policy and Influence webpage, through our member newsletters and on our social media. You can also get in touch with the Policy Team at [email protected]