NMA Human Rights Position

The National Mining Association (NMA) represents a diverse range of minerals, materials, equipment manufacturers and business activities in the mining industry. The association supports the responsible production of our abundant domestic coal and mineral resources, recognizing the important benefits these commodities provide. In 2020, the NMA established a CEO-led Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Task Force to examine a wide range of ESG issues and policy positions, including human rights, and to promote innovative solutions that enhance ESG performance amongst member companies.

The NMA promotes responsible business practices for respecting the human rights of employees, including fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion; providing for employees’ safety, good health, training and development, and their general wellbeing; and, fair remuneration.

The NMA recognizes the importance of respecting the rights, cultures, customs and values of people and communities, affected by companies’ activities, and of continually engaging and maintaining an open dialogue with key communities. The NMA also recognizes the importance of working to obtain the free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples for projects that are likely to have significant impacts on Indigenous Peoples’ communities.

The NMA supports the implementation of responsible mine site security practices and an approach to security that is consistent with the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights.

The NMA acknowledges the wide-scale use of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) as a practical and comprehensive framework for identifying, implementing and reporting on responsibilities to respect human rights. The UNGPs direct companies to develop a human rights policy, carry out human rights due diligence and enable access to effective remedies through establishing operational-level grievance mechanisms.