Context

The mining industry has long been associated with severe human rights and workers' rights violations, including land grabs, environmental destruction, forced and child labour, unsafe working conditions, and the suppression of workers' rights. For many years, civil society has worked to highlight these abuses and apply pressure on companies sourcing mined materials to address abuse in their supply chains. However, many companies in these sectors —whether new or long-established—are still in the early stages of implementing human rights due diligence (HRDD) practices.

As demand for critical minerals—such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper—soars, driven by the global shift to renewable energy, electric vehicles, and battery storage, these concerns have become even more urgent. The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that demand for these minerals will more than triple by 2030. This surge in demand has prompted stronger regulatory frameworks like the EU Batteries Regulation, which requires businesses to conduct thorough due diligence on both social and environmental risks in their supply chains.

In response, companies face increasing pressure to enhance their due diligence practices and proactively address human rights and environmental risks. Regulations like the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (EUCSDDD) and the Norwegian Transparency Act are raising corporate accountability standards. These frameworks demand companies not only comply with laws but actively mitigate risks in line with international standards like the UN Guiding Principles and OECD Guidelines.

Integrating HRDD in mineral and metal mining for a Just Transition

Human Rights Due Diligence is vital for identifying, preventing, and mitigating human rights and environmental risks within mining operations. With the growing demand for minerals essential to the green transition, HRDD is key to ensuring mining activities don’t exploit vulnerable populations or harm the environment.

The Paris Agreement emphasises the urgency of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, requiring a drastic reduction in emissions by 2030 and decarbonisation by 2050. Achieving this shift depends on minerals used in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and battery storage. However, poorly managed mining practices could worsen ecological destruction and exacerbate human rights violations in already vulnerable regions.

A just transition ensures that decarbonisation does not come at the expense of vulnerable communities, ecosystems, or workers’ rights. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), a just transition is about greening the economy in a fair and inclusive way, creating decent work opportunities and leaving no one behind. Achieving this requires a focus on ‘social dialogue’ with workers at the heart of the process.

When integrating HRDD in mineral mining, companies must:

Respect communities: Ensure free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples and local communities before starting mining projects.
Protect workers: Uphold labour rights, ensure safe working conditions, and address informal employment.
Support local economic development: Help mining-dependent communities build long-term economic resilience and diversify industries.

By embedding these principles into their HRDD processes, companies can contribute to a sustainable and equitable transition that supports both environmental goals and human rights.

A rapid HRDD assessment

ETI conducted a rapid HRDD assessment in the mined metals and minerals sectors, collaborating with eight downstream companies—members of ETI, Ethical Trade Norway, Ethical Trade Denmark, or ETI Sweden. The assessment focused on these companies’ ability to identify and address upstream risks in their supply chains. Interviews were held with both these companies and six external stakeholders. This research highlights key challenges and opportunities, offering valuable insights into the maturity of HRDD practices. Find out more below.

File(s)

Mining of metals & minerals: A rapid assessment

This research report examines the state of human rights due diligence within downstream companies, highlighting critical gaps and opportunities to drive more robust action towards a fairer and more sustainable mining sector.

File(s)

Common Framework for Responsible Purchasing Practices in Manufacturing Industries (CFRPP MI)

The framework is a reference point to support companies in manufacturing industries to engage with stakeholders and take practical action to improve their purchasing practices.

This work is funded by the Initiative for Global Solidarity (IGS), a German development cooperation project on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) GmbH

Other ETI initiatives

Page

Responsible purchasing practices

ETI promotes 5 principles of responsible purchasing through several initiatives that span our sector groups of company members.

Page

Just transitions

Supporting companies to understand and mitigate workers’ rights impacts caused or exacerbated by the climate crisis or by a company’s own climate action.