The Responsible Gold Mining Principles have been mandatory for World Gold Council member miners since 2019, with annual ISAE 3000-type external assurance. They are being superseded by the Consolidated Mining Standard, a four-standard merger that missed its H1 2026 launch target and that civil-society groups argue is too weak.
Visit gold.orgThe Responsible Gold Mining Principles, launched in September 2019, are the World Gold Council’s ESG framework for large-scale gold mining. Conformance is mandatory for WGC members and checked by annual ISAE 3000-type external assurance. There is no standalone revision planned: the framework’s future is its successor.
That successor is the Consolidated Mining Standard Initiative: the WGC, ICMM, the Copper Mark and MAC (TSM) merging four standards into one Consolidated Standard of 24 performance areas, anticipated to reach roughly 100 companies and 600 operations.
The WGC also keeps two older gold instruments in play: the Conflict-Free Gold Standard of October 2012, which operationalises the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for conflict-affected areas and is still referenced by the WGC, and the London Principles, operating principles for central-bank domestic ASGM purchase programmes.
The CMSI’s final consultation ran from 8 October to 17 November 2025, drawing 120 stakeholders and more than 3,400 comments. The Final Consultation Report was published on 12 March 2026 and Daniel Ortega-Pacheco was named Chair designate. The standard itself had still not launched as of 3 July 2026, past its H1 2026 target.
Adequacy is contested on the record: a civil-society coalition (Public Citizen, Earthworks, NRGI, Oxfam, with the Lead the Charge briefing of December 2024) argues the consolidated standard is too weak, and the CMSI has published responses. This hub carries both positions, attributed, and its status chip for the CMSI reads: not launched.
The Conflict-Free Gold Standard is published in October, operationalising the OECD guidance for conflict-affected areas.
The Responsible Gold Mining Principles launch in September; conformance becomes mandatory for WGC members, with annual external assurance.
The London Principles are signed by four central banks on 12 June. In December, the Lead the Charge coalition briefing argues the draft consolidated standard is too weak.
The CMSI final consultation runs from 8 October to 17 November: 120 stakeholders, more than 3,400 comments.
The Final Consultation Report is published on 12 March; Daniel Ortega-Pacheco is named Chair designate. The standard remains unlaunched as of July, past its H1 2026 target.