The Communications Committee has been established in April 2007. It brings together communications experts from member companies and serves as a platform for exchange and input of marketing information on the industry.
The committee’s task is to develop and agree on a communications plan that helps to enhance awareness for PGMs as well as to identify and address topics relevant to the industry.

The Communications Committee is currently chaired by Jeremy Coombes, General Manager Marketing, Precious Metals Division, Johnson Matthey.

The Communications Committee has elaborated a set of Key Messages for the PGM industry:

(1) Role and benefits of PGMs in everyday life

• PGMs are surrounding us everyday in a great variety of applications that are all meant to improve lives.
• PGMs are precious and noble metals which in their applications enhance the environment and quality of life.

(2) PGM industry – an innovative sector

• The mining and fabrication of PGMs is a highly innovative sector and the source of many cutting-edge technologies.
• The PGM resource base is extensive and the industry has a proven track record in its understanding of the market demand.
• Growing demand for PGMs stems from their increasingly diverse uses and enabling role in new technologies.
• Due to the steady growing demand in PGMs the industry is attractive to skilled workers and offers great career opportunities.

(3) Social aspects of mining and fabrication (education, health, safety etc) / corporate social responsibility

• The PGM industry is contributing to the income of the countries in which it operates.
• The PGM industry works closely with local communities to increase their standard of living and to provide a sustainable local economy.
• The industry pays particularly attention to the health, safety, and education of its workforce.

(4) South Africa: Black Economic Empowerment and Beneficiation

• The South African PGM producers are committed to fulfilling their obligations regarding black economic empowerment (BEE) and metal beneficiation.

(5) PGM and the environment

• PGM based products contribute to technologies that help to reduce environmental damages.
• The PGM industry itself is implementing programmes to minimize the impact of their operations on the environment.

(6) PGM in the life-cycle / Recycling

• The energy efficiency of PGMs reduces waste of resources.
• The high recyclability of PGMs means less impact on the environment in comparison to other materials which may be discarded or be less easy to recycle.
• The PGM industry routinely recycles PGMs from their applications.