Community-led accountability in the mining sector with IPIS

In July 2025, ICoCA called on its private security company members and affiliates, civil society organisation and observers to share their best practices supporting a Just Transition: the shift toward a greener economy that is fair, inclusive and creates decent work opportunities while leaving no one behind. This initiative led to the creation of the first edition of the ICoCA Responsible Security Awards, recognising PSCs and CSOs that exemplify these principles.

In this new podcast series, Field notes from the front line: Voices of responsible security, we'll be speaking with key individuals from these organisations to explore how responsible security practices are being implemented in real-world contexts – and how accountability across the sector can be strengthened.

We’re delighted to begin the series with Jan Leysen and Hans Merket from the International Peace Information Service, or IPIS, an independent research institute working on peace, human rights and responsible resource governance.

IPIS were the civil society organisation winner of ICoCA’s inaugural responsible security awards in 2025, recognised for launching two community-based incident-monitoring systems. Operating in eastern DRC to report incidents in the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector, and in Tanzania to monitor both ASM and large-scale mining operations, the Kufatilia (in DRC) and Kufuatilia (in Tanzania) mechanisms enhance transparency, accountability and safety. They demonstrate how digital reporting tools, paired with strong civil society partnerships, can strengthen responsible mineral supply chains in diverse and often conflict-affected contexts.