Summary
This report offers practical lessons learned on how interoperability of sustainability standards in the metals, minerals and metals (MMM) sectors can help standards systems in other sectors. In particular, it explores how MMM, forestry and agriculture standards can enhance collaboration and improve sustainability impacts through interoperability. Interoperability is defined as the degree to which diverse systems, organisations and individuals are able to work together to achieve a common goal. As standards find themselves overlapping in their operations with regard to geographical areas, sectors and supply chains, the calls from their stakeholders to consider working together, recognising one another, or even harmonising their standards and schemes, have increased. A literature review, interviews and surveys were conducted with a range of people working with MMM sustainability initiatives, with findings added to the outputs from four face-to-face Theory of Change (ToC) workshops, to form the findings and recommendations. The research also integrates cross-sector learning from more established agricultural and forestry standards.