So, you are confident you can make a business case to your
financier as to why they ought to invest in your mining project.
You are also sure your project will meet regulatory requirements of
local governments. It is a good start, but thanks to a paradigm
shift in global regulation of mining activity, it is probably not
enough. To get a project off the ground, many mining proponents
will also need to demonstrate compliance with the environmental and
social regulations of their financiers in accordance with the
Equator Principles (EP).
What are the Equator Principles?
The EP is an agreement amongst more than 75 of the world's
leading banks and financial institutions to apply international
regulations and conduct due diligence to manage
"environmental" (meaning resource efficiency, pollution
prevention, biodiversity and management of living natural
resources) and "social" (meaning labour, OHS, indigenous
rights, human rights, resettlement and cultural heritage) risks
