Well done Intel, HP, Motorola, Nokia, and others! You were applauded in Enough Project’s second report ranking company progress toward responsible and conflict-free supply chains.
Last week the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) passed a ruling requiring companies to publicly disclose their use of conflict minerals that originated in the the Democratic Republic of the Congo or an adjoining country. This was not a surprise given the SEC indicated it was moving this direction in 2010.
But the surprise is the early action of industry. In 2010, instead of familiar cries that companies can’t identify the source of the minerals they use, let alone do anything about it, many companies took action!
It seems these companies have learned from food companies – dragged into addressing child labor among cocoa farmers. And from jewelry companies – remember the movie Blood Diamond?
When companies saw the writing on the wall in 2010 about conflict minerals, many were proactive!
But wouldn’t it be great if companies improved their supply chain BEFORE the threat of being mandated to do so?
So go ahead companies: be truly proactive!