ICMM paving the way for improved water reporting

Launching the second edition of its Water Reporting: Good practice guide, ICMM provides guidance to enhance the understanding of mining companies and also improve stakeholders’ knowledge of, and ability to use, water reports and associated data.

The guide includes new metrics for disclosure, such as honest reporting of how water is utilised to meet operational demands and how it is managed.

It also educates on the reporting of aggregated water metrics for all sites within a company as well as a separate aggregated total for all sites situated in water-stressed areas.

The hope for the updated Water Reporting: Good practice guide is to improve consistency of water reporting which allows stakeholders to make easier performance comparisons when looking to invest.

The guide has been created with the assistance of external reporting guidance and definitions, including the CEO Water Mandate, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), CDP Water and the Minerals Council of Australia’s Water Accounting Framework.

It pulls from the experience from companies operating in diverse geographies, commodities and regulatory systems, making it more globally specific and relevant.

MCA general manager of sustainability Chris McCombe said the guide will be a critical tool for the mining industry going forward.

“Australia’s minerals industry is proud to support ICMM’s new Water Reporting: Good practice guide, which reinforces the industry’s commitment to water stewardship through responsible water use and transparent and consistent reporting,” he said.

With the mining sector highly dependent on water for its operations, ensuring the functionality and transparency of its reporting is critical for all parties involved.