Why join
We're opening new ground in responsible sourcing for the world's most-used materials. Join us in shaping what responsibility means in practice for sand and silicates supply chains.
What the Coalition offers
A head start on the evidence
Members get access to research & analysis and the conversations around them as they develop. In a topic where good data is scarce, that's a real advantage.
A seat at the table while norms are formed
Sand and silicates will come onto responsible minerals agendas. The question is whether the standards and expectations that emerge reflect how things actually work, or whether they're written by people who don't know. We help make sure it's the former.
Work that produces something real
This isn't a talking group. Members share experience, test ideas in real supply chains, and help turn learning into guidance that others can use. The emphasis is on shared problem-solving, not positioning.
A knowledge-to-action approach
The Coalition builds on years of foundational work by its members and staff. Between 2019 and 2022, Coalition members contributed to UNEP's work on sand and sustainability, establishing the case for global sand governance and informing the UNEA 4/19 Resolution on Mineral Resource Governance.
Our approach draws on the concept of Mineral Security, pioneered by Professor Daniel Franks, which shapes how we think about risks, opportunities and what responsible sourcing means in practice. Recent developments in this thinking continue to inform our strategic approach.
The Coalition's work is anchored in two recent studies led by the University of Queensland: an OECD study on due diligence for sand and silicates supply chains (published 2026), confirming these materials belong on international responsible-minerals agendas and documenting major gaps in existing standards; and a GIZ study on raw materials in semiconductor supply chains, situating sand within wider debates on supply security and industrial policy. Together, these form the analytical baseline for our guidance, tools and demonstrations.
Built for you
For industry
Whether you're in construction, glass, technology or manufacturing, the Coalition gives you early visibility of where expectations are heading and a direct hand in shaping them. You contribute what you know about how things actually work. You get back guidance that reflects operational reality.
For researchers and civil society
If you work on resource governance, biodiversity, social performance or circular economy, the Coalition is a place to connect that expertise to real supply chains. Test ideas. Influence practice. Help build something that lasts.
For policymakers and foundations
The Coalition offers a way to co-design research and action agendas with impact built in from the start. Connect policy to practice. Translate foresight into workable approaches for materials governance.
Ready to get involved?
If you'd like to join the Coalition or learn more about what membership looks like, we'd like to hear from you.
