Proposed Global Mining Standard Falls Far Short of Meeting Basic Standards for Human Rights and Workers

December 16, 2024

Proposed Global Mining Standard Falls Far Short of Meeting Basic Standards for Human Rights and Workers

WASHINGTON - A proposed global mining standard and certification program recently put forward by the Consolidated Mining Standard Initiative (CMSI) will fail to protect human rights, workers, and the environment if it is adopted according to a briefingreleased today by Public Citizen, alongside a coalition of civil society organizations, Indigenous rights groups, and labor advocates.

Public Citizen's commenton the proposed standards states that CMSI fails to advance the public interest or meaningfully protect communities affected by mining. The analysis revealed significant gaps that could have harmful consequences for affected communities, downstream purchasers like automakers, and the broader mining sector.

"Minerals are the bedrock of electrification and decarbonization, and the standards set for the mining industry to protect social and environmental priorities must align with the public interest," said Chelsea Hodgkins, senior EV advocate with Public Citizen's Climate Program. "The proposed standard falls short of the level of rigor, credibility, or trustworthy governance needed to protect communities and workers."

According to the briefing, CMSI's proposal poses significant risks for automakers and other downstream purchasers, including that it fails to help manufacturers recognize and address potential human rights abuses or environmental harm. Further, the standard falls short of supporting due diligence efforts, potentially exposing companies to legal and reputational risks, especially under forthcoming European Union due diligence requirements.

If CMSI moved forward with the proposal as it stands today, the groups worry that flawed criteria and governance model could lead to financial and operational disruptions in mineral supply chains, while exposing workers and communities to harm.

CMSI is a voluntary initiative aiming to merge the principles and standards of the Copper Mark, the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), the Mining Association of Canada's Towards Sustainable Mining (MAC TSM), and the World Gold Council (WGC).

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