Ford goes for responsible mining to further EV commitment

Ford has committed to lead the EV and sustainable mobility revolution so has signed on to Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA).

The membership is another step towards the company’s human rights aspiration to responsibly source all raw materials used within vehicles globally, consistent with Ford responsible sourcing strategy.

Ford has nearly doubled, to US$22 billion, what it will invest in developing EVs and to create solutions. 

That work will increase the company’s reliance on mined material, particularly related to production of EV batteries.

IRMA promotes use of comprehensive, third-party assessments of mining practices to protect human rights, communities and the environment along the full supply chain.

“Everything we make and everything that goes into our products throughout the supply chain must not only comply with local laws, but follow our commitment to sustainability and human rights protection,” Ford’s purchasing director for supply chain sustainability Sue Slaughter says.

“Joining IRMA helps us and other companies consistently achieve that goal by forwarding best practices to address environmental, social, and governance issues.”

IRMA executive director Aimee Boulanger commends Ford’s leadership as the first US automaker to join the organisation.

Ford earlier in February made a US$29 billion commitment to EVs (US$22b of that) and autonomous vehicles (AVs) through 2025. Most Ford vehicles will be electric in future.