Behind the Scenes in Paris: Building Responsible Mineral Supply Chains from the Ground Up

Last week in Paris, our team at the Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) had the opportunity to participate in a full day of discussions—both inside and outside the OECD—on the future of responsible gold mining. While some sessions tested our patience (more on that below… or rather, not), the day was ultimately defined by meaningful connections, fresh ideas, and a renewed sense of purpose for our work in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM).

Our morning began with a seminar just outside the OECD event space. While technically off the main agenda, the session offered useful framing for the day ahead and gave us a chance to warm up our thinking on responsible supply chains and justice in mining.

Later that morning, Saidou and I made our way to the OECD venue and caught up with Abigail from the hosting team. We sat in on the session focused on Africa—though it wasn’t the most dynamic panel we've experienced, it did underscore a few recurring challenges facing the region. More importantly, the visit gave us a chance to reconnect with key members of the planetGOLD network, including Suzan from NRDC and Lynn from planetGOLD Uganda. These relationships are essential as we continue building alignment across organizations working to professionalize and formalize the ASGM sector.

One of the most insightful parts of the day came from Saidou, who offered thoughtful reflections on what “responsible mining” really means—and what stands in its way. For communities in West Africa—especially in Burkina Faso—responsible mining means upholding worker health and safety, respecting basic human rights, and protecting the environment across every stage of gold production. But meeting these ideals isn’t simple. ASM communities face real barriers, including weak legal frameworks that don’t reflect the realities of small-scale operations, socio-cultural complexity between migrant and local populations, security risks from non-state armed groups, and monitoring tools that don’t always adapt well to local contexts.

Still, there’s reason for optimism. In Burkina Faso, AGC is working hand-in-hand with national authorities like SONASP to formalize sites and introduce gold traceability systems that are grounded in the local reality.

Saidou also challenged the idea that state “weakness” is the only reason responsible mining hasn’t progressed. He pointed to the broader ecosystem: industry players often ignore the needs of local markets and refineries, making it harder for ASGM gold to meet international standards. Meanwhile, consumer markets exert pricing pressure and create distortions—despite knowing global prices—which undermines responsible practices at the local level. If we’re serious about building a more ethical and inclusive gold supply chain, then responsibility must be shared—not placed entirely on the shoulders of under-resourced governments.

Looking ahead, Saidou identified three key challenges that research and development actors should help address. First, we need reforms to legal frameworks that are better tailored to ASM communities. Second, we need to adapt widely used tools—like the OECD Due Diligence Guidance and the CRAFT Code—to better reflect the diversity of regional realities. Third, we must bridge the local-global divide by encouraging downstream companies to invest in community-based, practical solutions that support formalization from the ground up.

I also had the chance to speak briefly—though I’ll admit the video didn’t quite do the moment justice! My comments focused on two core ideas that define AGC’s work. First, our approach is practical. We prioritize execution and work directly with ASGM cooperatives to deliver measurable, lasting results. Second, we see ASGM not just as a development challenge, but as a real business opportunity. However, most ASGM organizations aren’t “market-ready” yet. Our role is to help build their capacity so they can formalize, stabilize, and ultimately evolve into sustainable business units that meet international expectations.

This is the heart of our work—bridging the gap between high-level policy and the day-to-day realities of miners in the field. We’ll be sharing more photos and updates from the trip in the coming days, but for now, we leave Paris with this reminder: responsible mining is not a slogan. It’s a long-term process—often slow, always complex, but absolutely essential to building a fairer, more sustainable gold supply chain. And we’re proud to be a part of it.

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