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Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM)

Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) is an initiative curated by the industry membership organisation the Mining Association of Canada (MAC).

The Standard evaluates eight topics related to social and environmental performance. TSM was the first mining sustainability standard in the world to require site-level assessments. It is mandatory for all companies that are members of the MAC for their Canadian operations and has been adopted by several other mining chambers around the world.

RMI Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) Standard for Mineral Supply Chains

The Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) is a membership organisation that encourages the responsible sourcing of minerals globally.

The RMI's Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Standard provides a set of criteria for facility level assessment, applicable to mineral processors, smelters and refiners, including those integrated with mine sites. It significantly extends the RMI’s scope, as the organisation had previously been focused on adherence to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas.

The RMI’s ESG Standard includes environmental criteria, occupational health and safety provisions, social obligations and governance requirements.

RJC Code of Practices

The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) is a standard-setting organisation for the jewellery and watch industry.

The RJC Code of Practices establishes benchmarks for responsible business practices throughout the jewellery supply chain, from mine to retail. It sets out a common standard for ethical, social, human rights and environmental practices, and certification against the Code of Practices is mandatory for all RJC member companies.

Metals and Mining SASB Standard

The SASB Standards are curated by the Value Reporting Foundation, a nonprofit organisation that creates resources to help businesses and investors develop a shared understanding of enterprise value.

The Metals and Mining SASB Standard is designed to help businesses to identify, manage, and communicate to investors sustainability information that is financially material. It covers a range of environmental and social risks that are pertinent to the metals and mining industries.

GRI 14: Mining Sector

The Mining Sector Standard has been approved for development by the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB). The Standard is currently being developed by a multi-stakeholder expert Working Group, appointed by the GSSB.

It is proposed that the Standard for Mining will apply to organizations whose primary focus lies on:​
Exploration and extraction, including quarrying, and primary processing of all types of minerals, metallic and non-metallic, except for oil, gas, and coal. ​
Support activities for mining, such as transport and storage.​
Supply of specialized products and services to mining organizations, such as engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors.

The Standard will be required in addition to other applicable GRI reporting requirements.

IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining

The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) is a multi-stakeholder body created to meet global demand for more socially and environmentally responsible mining.

The Standard for Responsible Mining v.1.0 was created by IRMA through a multi-year collaborative process, led by a multi-stakeholder board of directors. The Standard is designed to support 4 overarching principles: Business integrity; Planning and Managing for Positive Legacies; Social Responsibility; and Environmental Responsibility.

The IRMA certification is third-party assured against a comprehensive standard for all mined materials (except thermal coal) from industrial-scale mines.

Global Industry Standard for Tailings Management (GISTM)

The Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management strives for the ultimate goal of zero harm to people and the environment, with zero tolerance for human fatalities from incidences associated with tailings. It requires operators to take responsibility and prioritise the safety of tailings facilities, through all phases of a facility’s lifecycle, including closure and post-closure. It also requires the disclosure of relevant information to support public accountability.

Fairtrade Standard for Gold and Associated Precious Metals for Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining

Fairtrade seeks to make trade fair by connecting farmers and workers with the people who buy their products.The FAIRTRADE Mark represents fairly produced and fairly traded products. It also indicates that the product is fully traceable from farm to shelf.

The Fairtrade Standard for Gold seeks to create opportunities for artisanal and small-scale miners and their communities by promoting the formalisation of the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector through establishing membership-based artisanal and small-scale mining organizations (ASMO).

The aims are to improve working conditions for miners and strengthened mining organizations and their capacity to lobby for a range of improvements and benefits.

Code of Risk-mitigation for ASM Engaging in Formal Trade (CRAFT)

The Code of Risk-Mitigation for ASM Engaging in Formal Trade (CRAFT) is a multi-stakeholder, open-source market entry standard, developed by the Alliance for Responsible Mining and RESOLVE.

CRAFT enables ASM gold producers to access formal markets by proactively facilitating due diligence of their supply chains at the earliest stage of their development.

Copper Mark Criteria for Responsible Production

The Copper Mark is a comprehensive assurance framework focused on demonstrating the copper industry’s responsible production practices.

The Copper Mark Criteria for Responsible Production are management system requirements defined in the Risk Readiness Assessment and the Criteria Guide. The Criteria Guide provides additional guidance, including a description of the performance determination and means of verification for each criterion. All participants of the Copper Mark commit to fully meet all criteria within 24 months. The Risk Readiness Assessment (RRA) is created by the Responsible Minerals Initiative. It represents the core expectations from over 40 leading existing voluntary sustainability standards across all major environmental, social, and governance topics.

Participation in the Copper Mark is open to multi-metal mines that produce other metals alongside copper.