Mined minerals and metals: Integrating HRDD is key to a just transition

The mining industry has long been linked to serious human rights abuses—from land grabs and child labour to dangerous working conditions and the denial of workers’ rights. As demand for critical minerals like cobalt, lithium, and nickel grows—driven by the global shift to renewable energy—so does the urgency for companies to carry out robust human rights due diligence (HRDD), especially in high-risk mining regions.

To better understand how businesses are responding, ETI conducted a rapid assessment of HRDD in the mining sector, captured in our recent report Metals & Minerals Mining: A rapid assessment. Building on this, ETI hosted a webinar with industry, trade union and civil society experts to explore how companies can move beyond compliance and address real risks in their mineral supply chains. Here's what we learned.

Understanding the importance of human rights due diligence

A key focus of the discussion was the challenge companies face in implementing human rights due diligence, particularly in mining regions where risks to people and the environment are often egregious. With numerous tiers in the supply chain and limited visibility into extraction-level operations, many businesses find it difficult to know where to start.

The panel agreed that HRDD must go beyond compliance—it should be a continuous process aimed at improving working conditions and strengthening human rights throughout the supply chain. Rather than treating it as a one-off exercise, companies need to embed HRDD as a core part of their operations to drive lasting change for workers and communities.

Unpacking the key challenges 

A key focus of the discussion was the challenges faced when undertaking human rights due diligence in supply chains of mined minerals and metals, particularly in relation to minerals such as cobalt, lithium, and other raw materials crucial for electric vehicles. Jeroen Hoff from Connect Bus shared the challenges his company faces. He described the pressure from governments and customers to meet zero-emission targets while ensuring that the supply chains do not contribute to human rights abuses.

Jeroen explained the difficulties of assessing suppliers in regions where cultural differences complicate the risk assessment process. He emphasised the importance of building long-term strategic relations with suppliers, understanding their perspectives, and collaborating with multistakeholder initiatives (MSIs) to build knowledge and co-develop solutions with other buyers on shared challenges. "We need to collaborate more to understand and address these issues," Hoff said.

Maurice van Beers from CNV Internationaal underlined the need for a "just transition" for workers in mining and mineral supply chains. Maurice shared insights from CNV’s global programme on transition minerals, which works in countries such as Indonesia, South Africa, Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru, focusing on key minerals including copper, nickel, and zinc. Maurice stressed the importance of tackling the challenge of weak transparency from both ends of these chains: both from the mining side, where unions and local stakeholders are key, and from the buyer end, where companies can help identify supply sources and develop partnerships to address issues like occupational health, safety, and child labour.

Cecilia Tiblad Berntsson from the Centre for Child Rights and Business highlighted the issue of child labour in artisanal small-scale mining (ASM), particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where 70% of the world’s cobalt is sourced, out of which an estimated 10-30% comes from ASM. She emphasised that, “We all recognise the complexity of transparency and traceability, but we believe that the lack of transparency doesn't remove the responsibility to act.” This powerful statement underscores that even in the face of incomplete information, companies still have a duty to address severe human rights risks that most likely are, to some degree, linked to their supply chains.

Companies must acknowledge their link to ASM and take steps to address risks, especially child labour, by collaborating across the industry. Since 2023, The Centre, in collaboration with six local CSOs, established The Hub for Child Labour Prevention and Remediation in Kolwezi, DRC to address the issues on the ground. Until now, they have trained a network of 31 local case managers and integrated 53 children into long-term remediation, achieved with the support of only a few companies. “Through collective efforts and more companies joining forces, I believe child labour in ASM cobalt-copper mining could be largely resolved within a decade,” she said. Cecilia also pointed to the work of the Fair Cobalt Alliance, which supports the formalisation of ASM, ensuring a sustained livelihood for artisanal small-scale miners and their families, and ensuring that working conditions also meet a certain standard.

Building trust and transparency

A central theme of the discussion was the importance of trust and transparency across the supply chain. While panelists agreed that perfect traceability may not be immediately achievable, they emphasised that companies can start by being transparent about the challenges they face. Transparency, they argued, isn’t just about knowing the exact origins of every material—it’s about showing a commitment to human rights due diligence and working with suppliers to improve working conditions.

Maurice van Beers and Jeroen Hoff both stressed the need for collaboration across various stakeholders, including unions, MSIs, and other companies. By pooling knowledge and resources, businesses can develop more effective solutions to address human rights risks in their supply chains. Maurice advised, “Start on both sides: map what's happening, who's involved, and identify potential collaborators.’’ He stressed that international trade union organisations, such as CNV Internationaal, can support these efforts by collecting data on labour rights directly from workers using practical tools like the Fair Work Monitor. This increases transparency and facilitates stronger connections between stakeholders.

Key takeaways for companies committed to HRDD

The session concluded with a set of key insights for businesses aiming to embed human rights due diligence into supply chains dependent on mined minerals and metals:

• Start with transparency and trust: Building trust with suppliers is essential. While perfect traceability may not be immediate, companies should be transparent about known risks and work collaboratively to improve conditions.
• Don't wait, start now: Companies don’t need perfect traceability to begin taking action. Starting the process, even with imperfect information, is far more valuable than delaying. The risk of not starting is much higher.
• Engage rightsholders in decision-making: Human rights due diligence must involve meaningful engagement with those most affected by business decisions—workers and local communities. Their input is crucial for making progress – and therefore partnerships with trade unions and civil society are key.
• Foster dialogue and collaboration: Building long-term relationships with suppliers and stakeholders is key to making real progress. As Maurice van Beers emphasised, “As a Unionist, I cannot stress enough: dialogue, dialogue, dialogue”

Human rights due diligence is no longer optional—it’s a fundamental part of responsible business in today’s world. As the webinar made clear, companies must go beyond compliance and focus on creating positive changes within their supply chains. While the challenges are real, panellists emphasised that the solutions are within reach. By being transparent, engaging rightsholders, and fostering dialogue, businesses can contribute to meaningful change that benefits both workers and communities.

As Jeroen Hoff stated, “Focus on the dialogue and not on the box ticking.” By adopting a collaborative and transparent approach, businesses can address human rights risks head-on, creating safer, more equitable, and more sustainable working conditions for all.

Learn more

Gain deeper insights from ETI’s 'Metals & Minerals Mining: A Rapid Assessment' report and explore our recent work on responsible purchasing practices across manufacturing industries.

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.