Introducing Ashley Smith-Roberts

A Warm Welcome to Our Senior Director!

SDSG is delighted to introduce you to Ashley Smith-Roberts, SDSG Senior Director. Ashley is a former SDSG Law Fellow who joined our Leadership Team as Senior Director this May. Ashley brings to SDSG her academic and practical background in international law and policy; experience in journalism and education; and passion for sustainable development. Ashley completed her Juris Doctorate degree at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and her Master of Laws degree specializing in International Trade Law at Georgetown University. During her time in Washington, D.C. she was a Law Fellow for New Markets Lab, where she developed policy recommendations on emerging topics in sustainable development and corporate social responsibility; collaborated with lawyers across the globe to analyze trade agreements from a sustainable development perspective; evaluated trends in global supply chains, supplier management, and international trade; and authored white papers on international trade and sustainable development. She is currently finalizing a chapter on labor and international trade for an upcoming New Markets Lab publication. Ashley previously worked for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Teach for America in Colorado. As an SDSG Law Fellow Ashley has already made remarkable contributions to SDSG research, reports, strategic planning, and project development. Her passion for human rights will amplify this aspect of SDSG's work. We are honored to have Ashley’s extraordinary skills, experience, passion, and vibrant energy on our Leadership Team! Welcome Ashley!

Guidance for Governments

SDSG Co-Authors New Publication on Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Management

On June 24th, the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) announced the publication of “ Guidance for Governments: Improving Legal Frameworks for Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Management .” This guidance document, co-authored by SDSG’s Kristi Disney Bruckner, with significant contributions by Luke Danielson and Ashley Smith-Roberts, provides government leaders with a summary of good international practices in legal frameworks for Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) and environmental and social management for large-scale mines. Access the document and its Executive Summaries in English and French (Spanish forthcoming) here .

ESIAs are tools used to identify and evaluate the potential environmental and social impacts of a project. The guidance document covers best practices for ESIAs and environmental and social management for every stage of mining operations, from the exploration phase to the mine closure and post-mining transition phases. Other major themes include stakeholder engagement; Indigenous rights; and how to assess and improve your legal framework, with step-by-step guidance, tools, strategies, and case studies to aid in understanding and application.

Improving governance of environmental and social management is a critical component of optimizing sustainable development benefits of the minerals sector, a key objective of SDSG’s work. This guidance document is a compilation of over two years of research covering over 55 jurisdictions. We thank the many SDSG law fellows and colleagues who contributed to this study over the years, including Veronica Morelli Bellido, Rachel Blue, Brad Cummings, Kuzi Charamba, Catherine Meneses, and Charlotte Selix. Thank you!

The IGF Secretariat and the Netherlands Commission on Environmental Assessment will host a free public webinar on July 8th as part of the launch of this document. Learn more about the webinar and register in advance here . If you would like more information about the guidance document please emails us at [email protected] .

Check out Our New Logo!

SDSG Gets a Makeover

Did you notice our gorgeous new logo and newsletter template? SDSG got a makeover! Our new logo brings together images that reflect our vision for sustainable management of natural resources and our methodologies: research, teaching, and practice. Look closely at the logo and you will see mountain peaks, a perfect leaf, and pages of a book, all in our favorite colors. A big shout out to Keela Gendron, Senior Designer at Gunnison-Based RoShamBo for her thoughtful design of our beautiful logo. We also thank Austin Klemmer for redesign of our newsletter in a style and colors that perfectly complement the new logo. Thank you!

Getting a Fresh Perspective through COVID-19

Gratitude from Gunnison and around the Globe through the Pandemic

We hope that this newsletter finds you well through this era of COVID-19. In many ways this global health crisis has brought our networks closer together as we share a range of similar yet unique experiences in different parts of the world. In places where our colleagues are no longer working from home, we hear some nostalgia for slowing down, time with family, and acknowledging our deep need for community. We all see that this era has highlighted aspects of our personal and professional lives that we previously took for granted. We are just starting to uncover the impacts of COVID-19 and the wide range of responses to it on efforts to advance sustainable development. We have so much work to do and are maximizing all of our resources to expand our services in Gunnison and around the globe. Would you consider a special donation to SDSG to help us continue to work towards our mission and come out of this crisis stronger than ever? If so, please make a donation here or by scrolling to the button at the end of this newsletter. Thank you for your support and contributions to SDSG!

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