Ford joins initiative promoting responsible mining

Ford is the first American vehicle maker to join the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA).

The membership is another step towards the company’s human rights aspiration to responsibly source all raw materials used within vehicles globally.

IRMA’s work is to advance responsible mining practices, providing third-party verification and certification against comprehensive environmental and social criteria for all mined materials. The global standard was developed over 10 years, in consultation with more than 100 stakeholder groups including mining companies, affected communities, NGOs, labour groups and purchasing companies using mined materials. The standard covers all mined materials, except for energy fuels, and is applicable to all sizes of industrial mines in all parts of the world.

“Everything we make and everything that goes into our products throughout the supply chain must not only comply with local laws, but follow our commitment to sustainability and human rights protection,” says Sue Slaughter, Ford’s purchasing director for supply chain sustainability. “Joining IRMA helps us and other companies consistently achieve that goal by forwarding best practices to address environmental, social, and governance issues.”

Ford has also committed to lead the electric vehicle and sustainable mobility revolution with a $22 billion investment in in developing EVs and create solutions.