"The international consultancy firm Environmental Resources Management (ERM) conducts annual audits of all mines and processing plants, investigating working conditions as well as environmental, health and safety issues. The audit reports document any identified shortcomings in this respect and propose corrective actions. Our employees in Kolkata (India) and Darmstadt (Germany) then follow up to work on resolving any identified issues.
In 2018, ERM conducted six audits. Identified defects primarily involved occupational safety precautions and gaps in the implementation of management systems. When violations are discovered, we work together with the suppliers on corrective measures. When breaches are not rectified, we take further actions up to freezing relations with the respective company or even terminating the business relationship altogether."