Through the new framework, members of the TI-CMC may now choose to become validated as Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) conflict-free tungsten smelters under the CFSI’s Conflict-Free Smelter Program (CFSP). This marks the first time the CFSI and TI-CMC can provide information about conflict-free tungsten smelters. The deadline for US reporting requirements on conflict minerals is 2014.
“Over the past five years, companies have worked hard to address conflict minerals in their supply chains,” said Robert Lederer, executive director of the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition. “Being able to provide companies with information about audit-validated, conflict-free tungsten smelters is a real success for our initiative, companies, and crucially the people on the ground who are affected by conflict in central Africa.”
“We’re very pleased to have crafted this unified approach to addressing conflict minerals issues,” said James R Dale, vice president of member and industry relations for the MPIF. “The TI- CMC sees this collaboration as an efficient and practical way for tungsten smelters to provide confidence to their customers that their sourcing practices do not directly or indirectly support conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and adjoining countries.”
As part of the collaboration, TI-CMC-compliant tungsten smelters may choose to undergo the conflict-free smelter programme audit. The names of smelters compliant with the TI-CMC conflict-free tungsten programme and CFSP compliant tungsten smelters will be publicly listed on the websites of the TI-CMC and the CFSI.
