A Chinese mining industry group announced on Friday a set of guidelines intended to promote socially responsible behavior among its companies operating overseas.

The industry group, the China Chamber of Commerce for Minerals, Metals and Chemicals Importers and Exporters, which is affiliated with the government, formally introduced standards for subjects like labor rights, environmental protection and community relations. Overseas companies need to take such issues into account to reduce their investment risks and avoid directly or indirectly harming the countries in which they work, the group said.

The guidelines were developed in collaboration with the German development agency GIZ, and with input from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and Global Witness, an advocacy group that focuses on natural resource management.

China’s direct overseas investment is immense — reaching $90 billion in 2013 — and the majority of it is in mining...