It is, however, a certification that is relatively long and difficult to obtain. Mines wishing to be certified must submit their application to ARM, which analyzes it and then sends it to third-party auditing firms (Naturacert, Imoswiss) that will study all aspects justifying the certification: organizational development, environmental protection, working conditions, and social development. Physical interviews, on-site observations... nothing is left to chance!
As of May 2023, only 8 mines worldwide are certified Fairmined: 4 mines in Peru (Oro Puno, CECOMIP, Chaquiminas, MACDESA), 3 in Colombia (Mina Chedé, Iquira, La Gabriela), and 1 in Ecuador (Expausa).
This certification is valid for one year, and to keep it year after year, the mine must be re-audited and show progressive improvements.All players in the supply chain are also audited, whether the mine, authorized suppliers or Fairmined licensees (such as MYEL, which buys, shapes and then resells gold in the form of jewelry to its end customers) to guarantee traceability: from the earth to the finished product.