{"id":60154203,"date":"2026-10-05T16:25:24","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T15:25:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/?p=60154203"},"modified":"2026-10-05T16:25:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T15:25:35","slug":"a-long-and-rocky-road-to-esg-for-chinese-overseas-mining","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/business\/a-long-and-rocky-road-to-esg-for-chinese-overseas-mining\/","title":{"rendered":"A long and rocky road to ESG for Chinese overseas mining"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Nickel is a key material for making EV batteries, wind turbines and solar panels. The leading role China has played in Indonesia\u2019s industry has delivered much investment and many jobs<\/a>. Yet concerns remain. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chinese nickel processors in the Southeast Asian country are doing relatively well on setting and following environmental and carbon emissions standards, but weakly on community communication and relationship management. That\u2019s according to a recent report<\/a> by Canadian think-tank the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This situation is not confined to Indonesia, with the social aspect the main ESG challenge for China\u2019s overseas mining companies generally, experts told Dialogue Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US finance company MSCI is one of the world\u2019s leading providers of ESG rating systems. It ranks 80% of Chinese mining firms as \u201claggard\u201d on ESG management, hampering<\/a> its overseas investments and operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what progress are they making? How far do they have to go to meet international standards? What do they find difficult to adapt to when working overseas?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

International standards, Chinese characteristics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Over the last decade, the central government has been focusing on setting domestic ESG standards and increasing compatibility and mutual recognition. The Ministry of Finance and stock exchanges have also put sustainability disclosure rules in place for listed companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2022, a Chinese industry group called CCCMC updated<\/a> its guidelines for how companies should responsibly source minerals \u2013\u00a0checking their supply chains for conflict, human rights abuses, corruption. These points were modelled on similar rules from the OECD, a group of developed countries that sets many global standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That July, the London Metal Exchange conditionally approved the CCCMC guidelines \u2013 the first time it had approved a standard from a non-OECD country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Recommended<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/a>\n\n\n\n

In 2022, the Chinese government published the Guidelines for Environmental Protection during Foreign Investment and Construction Projects<\/a>, requiring both information disclosure and substantive community participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, last year, the China Mining Association published<\/a> two industry standards, for ESG disclosures and assessment, intended to promote regular standardised ESG reporting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This May, the Zhongguancun Green Mine Industry Alliance published<\/a> another industry standard, Guidelines on Green Minerals, regarding supply chain traceability and due diligence. It plans to issue an international standard this year for companies operating outside of China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some Chinese mining companies working overseas have undergone international certification, setting up governance systems that meet OECD due diligence standards, said Shan Qiulin, deputy director of the alliance\u2019s international section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Li Wei, not his real name, works for a Chinese ESG consultancy and says that China\u2019s own ESG systems are working to align with international standards, while still taking China\u2019s own circumstances into account. For example, to protect suppliers, stock exchange rules emphasise<\/a> the importance of prompt payment, which is of particular importance to smaller businesses in China\u2019s supply chains. Pushing for fair treatment of such businesses reflects a sustainable development principle \u201cwith Chinese characteristics\u201d, Li Wei says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help companies with implementation, the Ministry of Finance and the stock exchanges have followed up their frameworks with handbooks, guides, best practice case studies and benchmarking research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gaps on principles and content<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Despite steady progress, China\u2019s voluntary sustainability standards still differ from those in the European Union. They align quite well with international norms on the environment but, as mentioned, are behind on social issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The IISD report points out, for example, that Chinese standards lack a specific way of identifying Indigenous peoples. Plus there are no specific rules on economic displacement, resettlement and livelihood restoration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have no requirements on compensation for work-related injuries and illnesses, or clear requirements on accommodation for workers and contractors, or on allowing them to stop working if they deem a situation dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/div>
A worker rides home after finishing work at a nickel-processing facility in Sulawesi (Image: SOPA Images \/Alamy)<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Hans Baumgarten, one of the report authors, said that China\u2019s ESG standards and practices don\u2019t yet completely meet international market expectations for transparency and traceability. Li Wei said: \u201cChina\u2019s standards need more detail on due diligence and social issues.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He thinks the gap is down to fundamental differences when setting ESG standards. In the EU, ESG governance considers both \u201cfinancial materiality\u201d \u2013 meaning impact on the bottom line \u2013 and environmental, human and social impacts. Whereas in China, financial materiality is favoured, with less attention paid to environmental impact and social responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shan Qiulin explains that China\u2019s project management approach has traditionally focused on profit and progress, putting efficiency first. While the EU\u2019s due diligence systems require companies to set up supply chain traceability and check each stage \u2013 from the mine, to processing, to trading.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obstacles to implementation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It isn\u2019t just those differences that are causing problems. For Chinese mining companies, the biggest problem implementing ESG principles is a lack of mutual recognition leading to repeated work and inadequate disclosures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, although the CCCMC\u2019s updated guidelines<\/a> were given conditional approval, they haven\u2019t been widely adopted on international markets and by downstream manufacturers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shan Qiulin says this is because the EU\u2019s ESG standards carry legal force, being backed by full legislative, judicial and enforcement systems. China\u2019s equivalents are still mostly voluntary industry standards, although there are mandatory disclosure requirements for listed firms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said: \u201cAnother challenge is the lack of a domestic system for checking ESG performance. In the EU, companies are required to use a designated certification body. But China lacks an internationally trusted third-party certification system or standards for the certification \u2013 which makes mutual recognition hard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another obstacle is inadequate reporting. China was one of the first countries to set requirements for domestic, facility-level corporate environmental disclosure. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment, for example, requires companies to disclose the location of their production facilities, their emissions of carbon and other pollutants and any regulatory breaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there are no rules specific to Chinese mining companies working overseas. \u201cThat means there\u2019s often a difference between what companies disclose at home and abroad; a Chinese subsidiary of one listed company might publish mine\/factory level data at home, while an overseas branch of the same company does nothing,\u201d said Li Meng, Green Supply Chain Corporate Information Transparency Index manager with the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPEA), a Beijing-based think-tank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cultural differences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Li Wei, who is familiar with the leading Chinese mining firms at work in Indonesia, said they have been working overseas for some time and built up experience. Compared with smaller companies, they have more ESG staff and specialised teams for community communication, sustainable development and standards compliance, he said. \u201cAlso, at the leadership and governance level, such companies recognise the value of ESG management and actively take part in international dialogue and the training and consultations organised by standards agencies,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, some hard-to-spot differences will continue to hamper ESG implementation by Chinese mining companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In China, companies usually go through local government when dealing with communities. But in many countries, local government doesn\u2019t get involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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According to Li Meng, Chinese companies tend to see the \u201csocial\u201d aspect of ESG as meaning practical measures like poverty relief and building roads and schools. But overseas stakeholders think more in terms of \u201cinformed consent\u201d and \u201cparticipation\u201d. Shan Qiulin points out that, internationally, companies are expected to engage fully with Indigenous groups and local communities in the project planning stage, to gain their informed consent. This is in stark contrast to the \u201cplan first, communicate later\u201d approach Chinese companies use at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chinese companies usually regard community relations as an external issue that can be dealt with after the fact. In the EU, it is a precondition for getting a project operating licence. Failing to meet ESG standards isn\u2019t just a reputational risk \u2013 it can have legal and financial consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research has also found<\/a> a mismatch between international ESG rating systems and China\u2019s corporate culture. For example, when state-owned enterprises target poverty alleviation and rural revitalisation, this is not recognised as corporate social responsibility work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Better implementation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to the mining industry specifically, Li Meng suggests much better disclosures at the mine and company level would help keep local communities and Indigenous people informed. Ma Jun, founder and director of the IPEA, says more openness of information and disclosures are needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Li Wei says companies need to have a clear understanding of the risks they face and identify ESG issues and challenges. They should improve their understanding and application of international standards and procedural requirements, for example on labour relations and balancing business and human rights. The particular challenges faced when operating overseas need to be tackled. Simply doing what is done at home will not work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also pointed out that the various global sustainable development standards are coming into alignment with each other, and there is huge potential for pushing mutual recognition with China\u2019s own standards. The IISD report said that more interoperability and mutual recognition will help companies win local trust and reduce accounting costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shan Qiulin said global mining governance systems are constantly being improved, and her organisation wants to see a more inclusive, scientific and practical system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMutual recognition isn\u2019t a zero-sum game of who recognises who,\u201d she said. Countries of the Global South should be more involved in the setting of those standards, contributing their own experience and expertise and having more of a say.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Companies are shifting towards international standards on environmental, governance and social issues. They lag particularly on the social side, experts say<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50000900,"featured_media":60154235,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_has_post_settings":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[758],"tags":[510,50040749,566,50042156],"hashtags":[],"country":[20000110,50040717],"class_list":["post-60154203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-china-in-the-world","tag-livelihoods","tag-mining","tag-overseas-investment","country-china","country-indonesia"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA long and rocky road to ESG for Chinese overseas mining | Dialogue Earth<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Companies are shifting towards international standards on environmental, governance and social issues. 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They lag particularly on the social side, experts say","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/business\/a-long-and-rocky-road-to-esg-for-chinese-overseas-mining\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/business\/a-long-and-rocky-road-to-esg-for-chinese-overseas-mining\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/business\/a-long-and-rocky-road-to-esg-for-chinese-overseas-mining\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/A-smelter-company-in-Konawe-Indonesia_SOPA-Images_Alamy_2K06034-copy.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/A-smelter-company-in-Konawe-Indonesia_SOPA-Images_Alamy_2K06034-copy.jpeg","width":1200,"height":800,"caption":"2K06034 Konawe, Indonesia. 09th Sep, 2022. PT.VDNI (Virtue Dragon Nickel Industry) nickel smelter furnace activity in the industrial area of Morosi sub-district, Konawe. A smelter company in Morosi sub-district, Konawe, Southeast Sulawesi, namely PT. VDNI and PT. OSS are mining areas and become one of the national vital objects. 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