Benchmarking of standards

The growing demand for batteries in electromobility and green technologies has intensified concerns regarding the sustainability of their supply chains, particularly for critical raw materials such as cobalt, lithium, nickel, and natural graphite. These materials often originate from high-risk regions characterized by weak governance, environmental degradation, and human rights abuses. To address these challenges, sustainability due diligence has become integral to responsible sourcing practices, guided by frameworks like the United Nations Guiding Principles, the OECD Guidelines, and mandatory European regulations such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and the European Battery Regulation. This paper evaluates the alignment of three voluntary sustainability standards—IRMA, RMI, and The Copper Mark—with EU sustainability due diligence requirements, focusing on key site-level criteria: traceability systems, risk assessments, corrective action plans, audits, grievance mechanisms, stakeholder engagement, and transparent reporting.
Using a multi-criteria decision making approach, specifically the fuzzy TOPSIS method, the study systematically assesses the effectiveness of these standards. Results indicate that IRMA demonstrates strong alignment, particularly in risk assessments and stakeholder engagement, while RMI excels in corrective action planning, and The Copper Mark shows strength in audits. However, persistent deficiencies in traceability and transparent reporting undermine the broader impact of all three standards. Sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of the rankings, with traceability emerging as a critical factor.