Impact by design

OCIM does not manage ESG alongside its business model. The business model is the ESG programme. Formalising miners, documenting supply chains and requiring certified practices are the operating conditions of the business. They produce positive externalities as a structural output, by design rather than by offset.

A transformational model

The dominant logic in responsible mining is redistributive: extract, then compensate : fund a reforestation programme to offset deforestation, pay into a community fund to offset displacement… These mechanisms have value, but they leave the underlying model unchanged.

OCIM operates on a different logic. Formalising a miner eliminates informality at the source : requiring mercury-free processing prevents environmental damage before it occurs, extending insurance and credit access to miner partners creates economic value that reaches people who had no access to it before… The positive outputs are upstream design choices built into the model from the start.

Environmental impact

Artisanal mining is frequently associated with uncontrolled mercury use, deforestation, and land degradation. OCIM’s response is structural rather than declarative. Environmental assessment is a mandatory component of the upstream KYC process. Mercury-free processing methods are required as a condition of partnership. Operations are confined to pre-cleared sites. Compliance is monitored continuously — not audited once and assumed thereafter.

Active involvement in professional institutions and regulators...

London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) is the global regulator of precious metals. The LBMA has set up an ASM Task Force, in which OCIM is actively participating, whith a goal of providing ASM miners access to LBMA Good Delivery accredited refiners while helping such refiners to carry out due diligence on these ASM chains.

Swiss Better Gold (SBG) is a Swiss association providing support to artisanal, small and medium scale gold mining developing effective, sustainable and responsible supply chains. SBG is building an increasing flow of of responsibly produced ASM Gold for use by the most prestigious brands that are active members of SBG.

… and on the ground

Since 2024, OCIM has been participating in a support initiative set up by the Swiss Better Gold Association for small miners working for Minera Orex in the Arequipa region of southern Peru. The initiative comprises two successive and complementary phases:

  • Training program aimed at improving the health and safety conditions of artisanal miners working at Orex.
  • Insurance program designed to reduce the economic insecurity of workers and their families by covering them against a wide range of risks.

A new phase of this ambitious and successfull initiative is already planned.

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