The Consolidated Mining Standard Initiative (CMSI) is an effort by the Copper Mark, the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), the Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) and the World Gold Council to combine their separate, voluntary mining standards into one global mining standard and certification scheme. Following a first public consultation in 2024 on the Consolidated Standard, Assurance Process, Claims Policy and Governance Model - the CMSI finalised its Governance Model in October 2025. The final consultation on the draft proposed Consolidated Standard, Assurance Process and Claims Policy took place in 2025 and closed on 17 November 2025.

According to the CMSI's communication, the Independent Chair and members of the independent Board will be appointed in early 2026. The the final Consolidated Standard, Assurance Process and Claims Policy will be published mid 2026.

Civil society groups, NGOs, Indigenous Peoples' organisations, unions and community organisations, concerned by the impacts of the mining sector on people and the environment have been expressing concerns over the development of the CMSI.

• NGOs, unions and community organisations wrote in 2023 a first joint letter highlighting that its development so far fails to meet the minimum criteria of a strong voluntary standard. They reiterated concerns in 2024.
• In December 2024, during the first consultation period, a group of organisations published a briefing outlining concerns over weaknesses of the first draft proposed documents for the CMSI.
• In June 2025, several leading NGOs and Indigenous Peoples' organisations jointly released a brief for investors on risks of the CMSI for them.
• In July 2025, a group or organisations wrote to the CMSI expressing concerns over the lack of a second consultation on the Governance Model.
• In November 2025, civil society organisations responded to the final consultation and shared their recommendations.

The CMSI has responded to the letters and has provided a response to the December 2024 briefing - all available in the story below.