Companies Mark Major Benchmark, Support a Conflict-Free Minerals Trade in Congo

Jun 1, 2015 | Annie Callaway
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Today marks the deadline for publicly traded companies in the United States to disclose the potential presence of conflict minerals in their supply chains, and what they’re doing about it. In a recent statement, Nobel Peace Prize nominee and Sakharov Prize winner Doctor Denis Mukwege said of the issue, "A conflict-free minerals industry would contribute to ending the unspeakable violence the people of Congo have endured for years. Government must not only enact strong legislation, they must be willing to enforce the law.”

This is the second year companies have had to file such reports, marking a significant milestone. And progress is already apparent. Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act passed in 2010 and was implemented by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2012.  It creates a transparency measure, requiring companies that use tin, tungsten, tantalum, or gold in their products to determine where those minerals were sourced. If it is determined that the minerals came from the Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo) or one of the surrounding countries, the company must report on the due diligence measures they conduct to uncover whether the minerals are contributing to Congo’s ongoing conflict - the deadliest in the world since World War II.