The MFRI aims to support continued transformation in the mining industry to better serve the common good by

• Supporting the continued development of trust within and with the mining industry and in particular between the mining industry and the most significantly impacted communities.
• Continuing to support fundamental changes in the business model of the mining industry as an integrated and proactive development partner, delivering on economic, environmental and social shared purpose.

The MFRI seeks to

• enable and support a dialogue and relationship between the churches and mining companies
• be a catalyst for meaningful conversations in ways that encourage openness, honesty and the sharing of different perspectives on mining
• encourage genuine and sustainable change in mining and its contribution to outcomes, building on successful work and noting that mining needs to keep pace with social and environmental challenges
• incorporate perspectives from church leaders, church organisations and church investors, mining executives and companies, industry associations, communities and development NGOs
• encourage an increased knowledge of mining, its impacts and contributions to the common good, through global dialogues and local site visits
• act as a catalyst to bring together local faith and mine leaders.

Our values

As we pursue these objectives, there are three values that underpin the work of the MFRI:
Accountability: towards each other and our constituents, at the international and national level;
Respect: for the roles, independence, and perspectives of participants;
Openness: when considering different perspectives.

Over the past few decades, there has been increasing alignment on core components of the “common good” among the MFRI’s participating Anglican, Catholic and Methodist churches and mining companies, as well as the United Nations, other international organizations, and humanitarian and environmental groups. In different ways, they have all expressed a commitment to the following three deeply connected goals and sets of values:

• The human rights and dignity of individuals
• The welfare, prosperity and resilience of communities
• Care and stewardship for the environment of our common home.

Mining and Society

Ever since the Romans developed large-scale mining methods, industrial mining has played a significant role in human society. Millions of people across the world are either employed, or depend, on the mining industry for their livelihood.

Additionally, consumers globally are reliant on the products of mining.

How and what the industry mines is more critical than ever. The Covid-19 crisis, climate change and the 4th industrial revolution bring new challenges to an industry already facing environmental, social, and governance-related concerns.

Responsible mining companies have long recognised the need to go beyond legal and technical compliance to address some of the wider expectations inherent in their “social licence to operate”. This is increasingly becoming a differentiating factor.

Part of mining’s traditional role has been to create jobs for local communities and revenue for host governments. However, stakeholders’ concerns about mining are also global, including climate change and the just energy transition, as well as the threat to traditional mining jobs from automation.

The mining sector has to be able to create and articulate socio-economic and wider UN SDG-type benefits at the local, national and international levels. To do this, mining companies need to have a holistic environmental, social and governance approach in line with international best practice, and be accountable, trustworthy, and work in partnerships.

Civil society has a key role to play in facilitating this process. The faith community particularly has local access and trust where others do not. It is a key partner in facilitating the right dialogue and monitoring outcomes.