1707 regions, shaped by ecological sensitivity, governance capacity, and socio-economic context. Studies of coal, metal, and artisanal mining indicate that technically similar operations can yield significantly different sustainability outcomes depending on local conditions. Failure to address site-specific risks often leads to persistent liabilities and social conflict (Hilson, 2025a; Mazumder et al., 2021). This place-based reality highlights a disconnect between the global sustainability narratives promoted by the mining sector and the localized environmental and social challenges encountered at the project level. Additionally, it poses a substantial challenge for companies seeking to demonstrate sustainability performance through standardized, high-level frameworks that may not adequately capture local conditions and priorities. In response to these pressures, the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have emerged as a widely adopted framework for articulating sustainability commitments. In the mining sector, the SDGs provide a common global language that aligns corporate sustainability strategies with international development priorities and strengthens credibility among investors, regulators, governments, and communities. Consequently, the SDGs are increasingly cited in ESG disclosures, sustainability reports, and corporate strategies across the extractive industries (Fonseca et al., 2020; Li et al., 2024; Pedro et al., 2017). Mining companies are drawn to the SDGs due to their strategic value. The SDGs provide a structured approach to balancing economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection, while also supporting risk management, stakeholder engagement, and alignment with policy and financing requirements (Haywood et al., 2026; Perdeli Demirkan et al., 2021a). Adoption of the SDGs is frequently perceived as a means of accessing capital, entering international markets, and transitioning from ad hoc or philanthropic sustainability initiatives. The mining sector is particularly associated with SDGs focused on employment (SDG 8), infrastructure and innovation (SDG 9), and climate action (SDG 13). Despite widespread reference to the SDGs, evidence from mining and other resourceintensive sectors suggests that their application often remains confined to reporting and high-level commitments, exerting limited influence on operational planning or project-level decision-making (Islam et al., 2026). The practical value of the SDGs depends on translating them into concrete actions and decisions at the project level. Addressing this implementation gap remains a significant challenge for industry practitioners. A clear understanding of SDG localization is necessary to address this challenge. Localization involves translating global sustainability goals into site-specific objectives, indicators, and actions that reflect the environmental, social, economic, and governance contexts of individual mining projects and their surrounding communities. Instead of applying the SDGs as universal benchmarks, localization prioritizes local baselines, context-specific priorities, and stakeholder-defined concerns, including those of local and Indigenous communities (Korah et al., 2019; Ruban & Yashalova, 2023). Empirical studies demonstrate that sustainability outcomes vary significantly across locations. Differences in water availability, ecosystem sensitivity, regulatory enforcement, and community livelihoods result in the same mining activity producing distinct impacts at different sites (Islam et al., 2026; Mancini & Sala, 2018). As mining impacts are highly localized, national or global indicators frequently fail to capture conditions at the mine-site level (Izquierdo et al., 2025; Selmier & Newenham-Kahindi, 2021). Without adaptation, the broad objectives of the 2030 Agenda may not yield meaningful local outcomes. In practice, SDG localization requires moving beyond top-down reporting to the implementation and monitoring of specific targets at the mine site. This process involves defining how goals such as water efficiency, decent work, or land restoration are applied, measured, and evaluated using indicators that reflect local realities rather than global averages (Korah et al., 2019, 2019). Considering the long-term environmental and social legacies of mining, localization is essential for effective sustainability management and informed decision-making. Effective implementation of SDG localization transforms sustainability from a mere reporting requirement into a source of value for mining projects. Adapting global goals to site-specific actions enables companies to align business objectives with local environmental and social contexts, thereby generating shared value for both operators and host communities. From a strategic perspective, localized assessment facilitates the identification of environmental and social risk hotspots, supporting proactive mitigation and regulatory preparedness. Site-specific analysis enables companies to anticipate risks such as water stress, land degradation, biodiversity loss, and community opposition, thereby enhancing long-term project
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