- Gina D’Amato took the Executive Direction of ARM in November 2021, with over 15 years of experience in sustainable development.
- Her management will focus on enforcing inclusive and sustainable development of men and women miners and artisanal and small-scale mining communities.
- ARM is a global organization dedicated to transforming artisanal and small-scale mining into a legitimate, responsible, and profitable activity. Its headquarters are located in Colombia
Envigado, November 30, 2021
Gina D’Amato now leads the mission of Alliance for Responsible Mining. She joined the team in November 2021. With a presence in over 20 countries worldwide, the organization also has an office in Europe, directed by Marcin Piersiak.
D’Amato states on her new role: “With my arrival in the organization, we will proceed on strategic issues such as impact visibility from project implementation in response to the current challenges with climate change; the joint work with ARM in Europe and other actors; and the consolidation of Sustainable Mines Program, aiming to help artisanal and small-scale miners to have better living conditions and new opportunities to commercialize their products.”
Gina D’Amato is a sustainable development expert. She worked with vulnerable population inclusion processes with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – UNHCR. She also worked as Education and Culture Director of the Botanical Garden in Medellin, and she was Touristic Development Director of the Governor’s Office of Antioquia.
She has a holistic view of development and a participative and innovative leadership style that will strive to consolidate ARM strategies, visibility of social and environmental impacts on communities where the organization has presence, and the enhancement of mineral supply chains that comply with CRAFT and Fairmined Standards.
ARM STRENGTHENS ITS GLOBAL EXPANSION
ARM is a global organization that began in 2004 intending to make a positive change in the artisanal and small-scale mining sector (ASM) to transform it into a legitimate, responsible, and profitable activity that improves the life quality of mining communities in the world.
Marcin Piersiak took the Executive Direction of ARM in Europe in May 2021, intending to lead the responsible ASM positioning strategy in this continent and expand ASM activities in different geographies apart from Latin America.
Meanwhile, from Colombia, Gina will be in charge of the Sustainable Mines Program development. It is a holistic supply and support model for ASM, based on CRAFT and Fairmined Standards, and will watch for balanced growth of the program in Latin America. Both Directions will work hand by hand to enhance the scope and impact of ASM on the different territories.
About this transition, Piersiak states: “After a decade of following the development of ASM in Latin America closely, I am thrilled to have the mission to create more opportunities for the responsible ASM from Europe with industry allies, government, and civil society in consumer countries. ARM vision in the long term in Africa is to consolidate the ability of autonomous management from this continent. I sincerely hope that my experience in the organization enables me to connect Latin America and Africa, consolidating culturally diverse and efficient men and women empowerment processes. Gina has extensive knowledge of sustainable development and organizational management. I am glad to work with her so that the team and allies can lead ARM to the next stage in our journey to take the full potential of responsible ASM to the social, economic, and environmental challenges of our times.”
This way, ARM will continue to contribute to artisanal and small-scale mining sustainability to move forward together on this path.
“We trust the buyers and final consumers’ commitment to add up to the efforts made by responsibly extracted gold organizations and the implementation of good practices of CRAFT Code and the Fairmined Standard, as all these elements support the continuity of the efforts made for clean, responsible mining with the communities and the environment.” Concludes Gina.