The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) ‘State of Sustainability Initiatives (SSI)’ project provides objective, in-depth research into key aspects of voluntary sustainability standards. Flagship SSI reports cover the role of standards in the ‘Green Economy’ (agriculture), the ‘Blue Economy’ (fisheries), and the role of standards in biodiversity, transparency and poverty reduction.

Matthew Wenban-Smith was brought in to lead the analysis of mining standards for IISD’s 2018 flagship report ‘Standards and the Extractive Economy’. The report examines voluntary sustainability initiatives (VSIs) aiming to promote sustainable production practices in the mining sector. It includes a history of the development of mining standards, and applies IISD’s ‘CARE’ methodology to 15 programmes including the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM), the Responsible Jewelery Council (RJC), and the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI).

The analysis takes account of the breadth and performance levels specified by different standards, as well as the range of different approaches that standards programmes apply in recognising different levels of attainment over time.