Competent Person(s) plays a role in resource management functions in some jurisdictions, especially in corporate reporting for solid minerals. In some of the national codes or classification systems, the issue of competency has been very well addressed, but a large number of national codes are silent on this matter. In some cases such as the government resource or internal company resource management functions, the issue of competency is not always clear.
Recognition of competency is now becoming a challenge in many countries where no national codes or classification systems exist but are aspiring to bring in place national systems that are expected to clarify these issues. It will be in the interest of all stakeholders to see that the issue of competency is addressed globally and evenly across commodities.
The Expert Group on Resource Classification at its sixth session in 2015 requested the Bureau to prepare guidance notes on the use of Competent Person or Persons and its relationship with the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) and was reiterated in 2016. Subsequently, two guidance documents were prepared and approved by the EGRC in 2017.
Competent Person Guidance
The Expert Group on Resource Classification at its sixth session in 2015 requested the Bureau to prepare guidance notes on the use of Competent Person or Persons and its relationship with the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) and was reiterated in 2016. Subsequently, two guidance documents were prepared and approved by the EGRC in 2017.
In 2021, the Competency Working Group of the ECE Expert Group on Resource Management was tasked with consolidating two existing guidance documents on (i) Evaluator Qualifications and (ii) Competent Person Requirements at the twelfth session of the Expert Group in Geneva, 26-30 April 2021. The Guidance Note on Competency Requirements for the Estimation, Classification and Management of Resources, was approved in the 13th session of the Expert Group in October, 2022. It is non-mandatory and resource neutral. It can be applied to any type of resource or combination of resources. However, some resource sectors or regions may need additional guidance to address specific requirements. This could be done by developing separate guidance notes or annexes to this note. The ICE-SRMs could play a key role in providing regional and/or national guidance. The Expert Group endorsed this Guidance Note and recommended it for publication at the thirteenth session, October 2022.
Competent Persons Task Force
Competent Person Task Force has been constituted for preparing appropriate guidance documents on the need, definition and responsibilities of a Competent Person (s) for public reporting functions.