The World Gold Council, in partnership with former UK Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, released the 'Silence is Golden' report detailing systemic threats within artisanal and small‐scale gold mining (ASGM). The report highlights how criminal gangs, armed groups, and corrupt officials exploit ASGM operations—responsible for a significant portion of global gold supply and employment—and calls for coordinated international action to enforce legal standards, disrupt illicit trade, and protect marginalized mining communities.

On November 18, 2024, the World Gold Council, in partnership with the Rt. Hon Dominic Raab, released the 'Silence is Golden' report which exposes the exploitation of artisanal gold miners and its links to funding war, terrorism, and organized crime. The report calls for coordinated international action to integrate responsible artisanal mining into the legal supply chain.

The World Gold Council spent $277,000 on lobbying in 2023, as reported by OpenSecrets. This spending illustrates the Council's active engagement in political lobbying, which can be viewed as exerting corporate influence over policy-making processes.

The World Gold Council has released its 10 Responsible Gold Mining Principles to promote ethical conduct, safeguard labor rights and human rights, and enforce rigorous supply chain accountability in the gold mining industry. The initiative, backed by commitments to international sustainable development goals and independent external assurance, aims to reinforce trust among investors, consumers, and supply chain stakeholders.

On September 18, 2023, the World Gold Council announced that all 33 of its members with operating mines have committed to publishing detailed supply chain data, including the names and locations of refining partners, and to join the Gold Bar Integrity platform, marking a progressive step towards greater supply chain transparency and accountability.

A 2014 report by the World Gold Council documented vast amounts of gold being smuggled from Africa, shedding light on the scale of illegal mining and its associated criminal networks. The report, mentioned in a recent investigative article on South Africa’s illicit mining operations, provides important research data that can help drive calls for tighter regulation and accountability in the gold industry.

The World Gold Council has released an Exposure Draft of its Conflict-Free Gold Standard, aiming to ensure that gold production does not fund armed conflicts, finance armed groups, or contribute to human rights abuses. The draft, developed in collaboration with its members and reviewed by a range of stakeholders including NGOs and governments, invites further input by 30th June 2012.