Responsible nickel roadmap for the Philippines

Nickel is a strategically important metal for both traditional industries and the global clean energy transition. Global demand for nickel is rising rapidly as electrification and decarbonisation accelerate and the Philippines, which is the world’s second-largest nickel producer, plays a pivotal role in meeting this demand. While most Philippine nickel is currently exported as unprocessed ore, the country aims to expand domestic processing, capture more value in-country and scale production responsibly to support sustainable development. Achieving these aims requires balancing industry growth with equitable benefit sharing for communities, environmental protection and long-term social and economic outcomes.
This roadmap was developed through workshops, meetings and site visits with Philippine stakeholders to help achieve this. It is forward looking, designed to complement existing initiatives and structured around the United Nations Resource Management System (UNRMS) principles, adapted to the Philippine context. The principles provide a framework for the integrated, sustainable and equitable management of natural resources in a standardised, systems-based way. The roadmap is intended to incentivise and support policymakers, industry, academia, civil society and other actors to undertake collaborative actions across governance, environmental management, social engagement, value addition, circularity, innovation, transparency and capacity building.
We hope that this roadmap will be adopted, adapted and implemented by Philippine stakeholders through coordinated action across government, industry and civil society. Anchored in the UNRMS principles, it provides a dynamic framework to help guide the Philippines toward a responsible, sustainable and globally competitive nickel industry.