Codelco, the largest copper producer in the world, has joined the Copper Mark, a UK-based assurance framework designed to promote responsible practices in the copper mining industry.

The Copper Mark said the company had committed to having all its sites participate in the framework by the end of 2023, with the first to participate being the El Teniente site in Chile.

The body described Codelco's commitment to have all its sites participate in the framework within the next two years as "further evidence of the growing momentum behind the Copper Mark and increasing commitment of major copper producers to adopting and promoting responsible production across operations."

Michele Brulhart, executive director of the Copper Mark, said Codelco's commitment to the framework was "indicative of a wider trend" in the copper mining industry.

Brulhart said copper producers are "responding to ESG demand from investors and customers" to "adopt more responsible production practices."

Renato Fernandez, vice president of corporate affairs and sustainability at Codelco, confirmed that 100% of the company's sites will participate in the framework by the end of 2023 and described the Copper Mark as representing "external and independent validation" for its "route towards processes with less impact."

"Since 2020, within the framework of the current transformation of Codelco, we have traced 100% of our production according to standards that are comparable to the criteria required by the international assurance system," Fernandez said.

"The Copper Mark, so we hope that the processes to obtain certification will be fluid."

Codelco is the latest mining stakeholder to join the Copper Mark after Southwire, a US-based manufacturer of cables, did so in January 2022.