Advancing Responsible ASM Sourcing: A Recap of the ASM Audit Workshop

The Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) Audit Workshop: Compliance, Due Diligence, and Progressive Improvement using CRAFT in ASM Supply Chains was held last week under the Progressive Due Diligence Lab (PDDL). The PDDL is part of the European Partnership for Responsible Minerals-funded Scalable Trade in Artisanal Gold (STAG) project, which is led by the Artisanal Gold Council in partnership with RESOLVE and the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI). This virtual gathering brought together over 120 participants from across the world, including auditors, auditees, standards organizations, civil society,  and key stakeholders, to explore practical applications of tools like the CRAFT Code in progressive improvement, practical auditing, and collaboration in responsible sourcing from artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) supply chains.

Key Themes Explored:

• ‍Progressive Due Diligence: Emphasizing incremental improvement in ASM supply chains and showcasing the CRAFT Code as a central framework.‍
• Practical Audit Applications: Sharing real-world examples and tools to assess ASM compliance effectively at smelter/refiner pinch points, including a new CRAFT Assessment Tool for Auditors.
• Collaboration and Adoption: Highlighting the importance of collaboration among auditors, auditees, and stakeholders to scale responsible ASM practices - and the need for ongoing collaboration through workshops such as this one. 

‍Global Engagement and Insight

With over 120 attendees, this workshop underscored the growing interest and momentum around responsible ASM sourcing. The global representation fostered meaningful discussions and exchanges that will inform future tools, strategies, and practices for progressive due diligence in ASM supply chains.

Thank You

We extend our gratitude to the panelists and presenters—Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM), RMI, Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), and LBMA—for sharing their expertise. It was a rare and impactful opportunity to have important standards organizations in the same session. And thank you to EPRM for their foundational resourcing and support of the PDDL and STAG project. 

Resources

Missed the workshop? The session recording, slides, and a trial version of the CRAFT Assessment Tool for Auditors are available on RMI’s e-Learning Academy.

Learn more about the STAG project.