On 21 November 2023, EFG organised the webinar ‘Mine Measure: IRMA’s Self-Assessment and Audit Preparation Tool’. The event was scheduled from 16:00 to 17:00 CET (Brussels time). EFG Past President and Secretary-General of the International Raw Materials Observatory, Vitor Correia, was host of the session. The speakers of the session from IRMA were Aquinar Malatji (Sector Lead for Mining), Kristy Disney Bruckner (Law and Policy Director), Pamela Lesser (Regional Lead, Europe) and Alan Septoff (Information Systems Director).
The webinar provided an overview of how mining operations can measure themselves against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining, and in the process, gather the information necessary to start an independent assessment with an IRMA approved audit firm.
The presentation slides of the webinar can be found here.
In addition, the recording of the session is available below:
- Aquinar Malatji, Sector Lead for Mining – Aquinar brings just under a decade of diverse experience and an unwavering commitment to responsible mining practices. Her journey in the mining sector first began as a geologist, with technical proficiency in Geometallurgy (Kumba Iron Ore Corporate), Exploration Geology (Kumba Iron Ore), and Production/Pit Geology (Anglo Platinum, SA and Geometallurgical Coal, Australia). Prior to joining IRMA, Aquinar held the position of Sustainable Business Opportunities Specialist managing initiatives like the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) at Anglo American, where she spearheaded transformative change, training, and implementation efforts across operations. Her contributions as Anglo’s IRMA Implementation Manager, in the past three years, played a pivotal role in introducing and embedding IRMA’s standards for responsible mining and processing at various South American operations (Chagres Smelter, El Soldado Mine, and Los Bronces Mine). Within Anglo, Aquinar has worked closely with a wide set of stakeholders, ranging from teams on mine sites to the c-suite. Committed to leadership and mentorship, she actively participated in initiatives such as the Anglo Women in Mining Committee and WeCan Foundation Mentorship program. Aquinar hails from a small mining town in South Africa (Phalaborwa) and earned her BSc. Degree (with Honours) in Geology, with a second major in Environmental & Geographical Sciences from the University of Cape Town and an. MBA from the University of Suffolk. Aquinar is also a member of the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP), embodying a dedication to continuous learning and professional growth.
- Kristy Disney Bruckner, Law and Policy Director – Kristi is an attorney with 20 years of experience working on complex law and policy issues with governments, communities, companies, and multi-stakeholder initiatives. She assists with IRMA’s public engagement, partnerships, communications, and ongoing work to improve standards and audits. Her experience includes over a decade of leadership at Sustainable Development Strategies Group, working to align management of renewable energy and natural resources with sustainable development objectives. She is an adjunct professor of climate change law, sustainable development and international trade, and community engagement courses at law schools in the US and Scotland. Kristi has a BS in Social Work with minors in Journalism and Economics from the University of Tennessee and a JD and LLM from the University of Denver with specializations in Environmental Law and Policy and International Resources Transactions Law and Policy.
- Pamela Lesser, Regional Lead, Europe – Pamela is both a social scientist and an urban planner with over 25 years of experience working in a range of geographic locations and across numerous sectors including government, consulting, think tanks, NGOs and academia. Bringing her recent experience working on raw materials-related Horizon projects and Arctic issues at the University of Lapland, Pamela brings to IRMA extensive knowledge of mining in the European context. Her ties to the European Commission and the European research community are strong, and for IRMA, she continues to build synergies with policy-makers and other stakeholders with an interest in the extractives industry and responsible mining. She has a Master’s Degree from UCLA and is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Lapland.
- Alan Septoff, Information Systems Director – Prior to joining IRMA full-time in June 2022, Alan worked for 25 years with communities to protect the environment from the adverse impacts of resource extraction. He did this at Earthworks – as policy director, research director, and communications director, among other roles. In those roles he lobbied the U.S. House and Senate, testified before Congress, and authored analyses regarding various aspects of mining policy reform. Alan lives with his family in Maryland’s Appalachian Mountain region. He graduated cum laude with a political science undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland at College Park, and with Environmental Science and Public Affairs masters degrees from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He sits on SkyTruth’s Board of Directors and volunteers with his local chapter of the NAACP.
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