Let’s ma
e it
sustainable
e it
Building responsible business practices in global supply chains
Kumi is a specialist management consultancy. We enable our clients to manage social and environmental risks, improve performance and ultimately create value through responsible business practices.
Our Services
Assess
Risk and Performance
We deliver due diligence and diagnostics to assess risks, impacts and current status of responsible business practices.
Build
Effective and Compliant Systems
We build management systems to embed responsible business practices throughout your operations and value chain.
Enhance
Capability and Impact
We support your continuous improvement and work with your stakeholders to create positive impact.
“Working with Kumi provided us with valuable context and opportunities to broaden our understanding of the complexities surrounding conflict minerals in the semiconductor industry. Our partnership has helped us have more effective conversations with both companies and fellow investors, in a collaborative drive for more transparent supply chains free from social and environmental abuses.”
Christopher McGoldrick, Senior Investment Analyst, Stewart Investors
“Kumi team are pragmatic, logical and no-nonsense. They understand complex supply chains and deliver difficult topics with lucidity and sensitivity. Refreshing to deal with this calibre of consultant, no management speak, deliver what they say they will, on-time and with a smile!”
Emma Tooley, ESG Supply Chain, Emirates Global Aluminium
“Kumi rightly deserve their reputation as leading experts on the practical application of the OECD Due Diligence Guidelines by companies and policymakers.”
Guus Houttuin, former Senior Trade Advisor to the European External Action Service and former Chair of the OECD Multi-stakeholder Steering Group on responsible minerals
“Kumi’s assessment of our current status against the requirements of the Copper Mark was very helpful in enabling us to understand where we need to prioritise our efforts as we work towards achieving certification against this important standard. The Kumi team were a pleasure to work with.”
Jasmine Abrahams, Vice President, Sustainability, Ivanhoe Mines
“The due diligence Kumi delivered was comprehensive, the findings clearly presented, and the recommendations led to practical risk mitigation measures with our supplier.”
Sergio Marini, Director Ethics and Compliance, LVMH
“Kumi evaluated our responsible sourcing program against the OECD guidelines and provided a clear gap assessment with actionable recommendations on how to improve. They quickly grasped our operational and sustainability context, which made it easy to communicate and work with them.”
Sustainability Unit, OneMed
“Kumi Consulting developed an assessment framework for the Maturity Assessment Tool of the International RBC Agreement for the Metals Sector that is objective, practicable and of a sound quality. The framework will assist companies in understanding what is expected from them in the OECD Guidelines.”
Independent Secretariat of the International RBC Agreement for the Metals Sector, Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands
“Trafigura is one of the largest physical commodities trading groups in the world. Kumi has provided Trafigura, as well as its commercial partners, with strategic guidance, technical advice and practical support – often working within challenging environments and always in support of a demanding client.”
James Nicholson, Head of Corporate Responsibility, Trafigura
“Kumi advised us on how to address non-conformances identified during an RMAP audit, providing very clear guidance on how to update and strengthen our company’s responsible sourcing management system and due diligence processes.”
Jamie Beliño, Compliance Officer, Al Etihad Gold DMCC
Insights
See all
Mining and heritage: reconciling interests
According to the IFC guidance on Biodiversity (PS6, 2012), mining in heritage areas is only admissible: However, as the first part of this insight series addresses, best practices are not always followed when mining activities overlap with …
Read more
Kumi Newsletter – September 2024
As I write this, I am in central Africa with one of our mining sector clients. We are helping them prepare for accreditation against a well-known responsible mining standard. In the mining and metals sector, it feels like the demands on com…
Read more
The value of the certification journey [Part 2]
As more companies are moving towards certification, driven by LME requirements, downstream pressures, or other factors, the choice of certification-whether it’s The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), Copper Mark, LBMA, or…
Read more
Everything, everywhere, all at once? Preparing for the EU Batteries Regulation
In Kumi’s work developing the implementation guidelines for the EU Batteries Regulation (EUBR) on behalf of the European Commission, we have found that many businesses have questions about compliance in anticipation of the August 2025 dea…
Read more
Beyond the classroom: Why training is not enough to effectively implement the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs)
“We were protesting peacefully when the shooting began. They didn’t even give us a chance…”[1] In August 2012, a labour strike over pay and living conditions at the Marikana platinum mine in South Africa resulted in a tragic esc…
Read more
Kumi Newsletter August 2024
No sooner had it begun, then it was over! As summer draws to an end here in Europe, it’s back to school and work after the holiday period. But global supply chains don’t stop! For the team at Kumi, the summer has been a busy period …
Read more
Kumi Newsletter July 2024
As summer finally warms up in London and Berlin, our colleagues in South America are still braving the cold and the persistent Lima fog. On a separate note, over the past few months, I’ve witnessed a significant increase in the adopti…
Read more
Unlocking the power of sustainability certifications: A journey of process and performance [Part 1]
After more than a decade of working in sustainability, my thoughts on certifications have evolved significantly. At first, I saw certifications as questionable markers of good performance. Over time, however, I’ve come to see that their t…
Read more
Kumi Newsletter June 2024
As you may know, the European Commission has assigned Kumi to draft the Implementation Guidelines for due diligence in the Regulation. Additionally, we are developing the methodology and process for recognising due diligence schemes under t…
Read more