Our 3-pillar approach – a holistic path toward responsible mica supply chains
The Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI) envisions a world where mica value chains are fair, responsible, sustainable, and free of child labor. To achieve this vision, RMI was formed in January 2017 as a Coalition for Action united around a three-pillar approach that is multi-stakeholder, holistic, and impact-oriented. By acting simultaneously across social, economic, and regulatory dimensions, RMI drives systemic change that benefits workers, communities, and businesses alike.
RMI promotes responsible sourcing and accountability throughout the mica value chain. By implementing workplace standards and verification systems at mica processing site and mine level, members ensure safe, responsible and transparent operations.
This pillar strengthens governance structures and legal frameworks at national and regional levels, ensuring mica mining activities are formally recognized, regulated, and monitored. A robust legal environment helps enforce child protection laws and enables sustainable, responsible mica sourcing.
RMI works at the village level to empower communities and children through access to quality education, capacity building, improved health and nutrition, and livelihood opportunities. The Initiative also works towards payment of fair prices for mica, contributing to living incomes and living wages. By supporting adults’ improved livelihood and child rights awareness, this pillar aims to break the cycle of poverty and child labor for good.
Eradicating child labor is at the heart of RMI’s mission. The initiative’s workplace standards apply a zero-tolerance policy toward child labor across all mica supply chains. By supporting the formalization and legal recognition of mica mining activities, RMI helps make child protection laws and conventions enforceable on the ground. In parallel, the initiative invests in capacity building for adults, poverty alleviation, and education and child rights awareness within mining communities – tackling the root causes of child labor and enabling lasting change for children and their parents alike.
Through the implementation of global workplace standards, the Responsible Mica Initiative promotes responsible practices across all upstream value chains, including the payment of at least legal minimum wages.
Though, the Responsible Mica Initiative is also working hard beyond legal minimum wages, towards payment of living incomes and wages, with the conviction that, if adults earn sufficient revenues to sustain their entire family, they won’t take their children to the mica mines. This exercise requires addressing several technical barriers, beginning with the formalization of mica mining, greater transparency, and the introduction of formal payment mechanisms – all of which can be supported by the other pillars of the RMI.
RMI’s success is built on collaboration between industry members, NGOs, community leaders, and governments, all being responsibility bearers and part of the solution. Together, these partners address every dimension of the mica sector challenge — from improving working conditions to securing a living wage or income for families and ensuring that no child is left behind.
Through this united, holistic approach, the Responsible Mica Initiative is building a future where mica is sourced responsibly, communities are empowered, and children’s rights are fully protected.