ABSTRACT
Environmental policy-makers are increasingly adopting voluntary initiatives to supplement, complement or replace direct government regulation. Mining is seen as inherently destructive, in that it destroys the environment, and leaves nothing positive behind when it packs up and goes. The mining industry faces an urgent need to gain and maintain legitimacy and social acceptance. It cannot rely merely on the fact that it claims to be in compliance with local environmental laws to achieve this. The International Council on Metals and the Environment has an Environmental Charter and an Environment code to which members must commit. Environmental groups constantly ask for evidence that the relevant industry association is willing to take action to sanction renegade enterprises for non-compliance. To meet the ISO 14001 standard, an enterprise must have a coherent framework for setting and reviewing environmental objectives, for assigning responsibility to achieve these objectives, and for regularly measuring progress towards them.
