This document contains a research of quantitative approach, descriptive type and quasi-experimental design, which, from a typical case: medium and small thermal coal mining companies with underground exploitation in Sugamuxi Province, tried to determine the guidelines that they should implement so that their activity acquires the attribute of sustainable. To achieve this purpose, Sustainability and Sustainable Development were defined, the Global Compact was explained with its four areas and the 10 principles that support and help develop them, the Sustainable Development Objectives were presented and the way in which mining, based on the areas of the Global Compact, can contribute to achieving them. A brief account of the country's sustainable mining initiatives was then given. Then, a brief overview of medium and small-scale coal mining in Sugamuxi Province was presented and this area of the country was described. Then, through the application of a survey to 110 mining companies, taken as a population sample, the state of sustainability of the mining activity in the area under study was diagnosed, finding that it is carried out outside the parameters of sustainability itself. Consequently, actions and measures necessary for the sustainability of coal mining in Sugamuxi Province were formulated, considering that the subjection to the sustainability guidelines is possible after reviewing the institutional horizon and the situation of the company to create and establish an organizational culture aligned with the safeguard of the environment and the promotion of social development and economic growth
