BSR Insight | Conflict Minerals, Supply Chains, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
About the Author(s)
Marshall Chase, Associate Director, Advisory Services
Publication Date
June 8, 2010
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Recently, BSR and the shareholder advocacy organization As You Sow convened companies, NGOs, investors, and government entities to highlight the connections between the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the trade in minerals (tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold) from that region, and industries—ranging from electronics and energy to canned goods and cutting tools—using those minerals.
The meeting and our resulting report identified the need for coordinated action on several fronts, and outlined efforts and opportunities for company engagement in three critical areas:
- Supply chain responsibility, including monitoring and verification
- Government engagement to support international peace-building efforts and stronger, more accountable local governance
- Capacity-building efforts to encourage equitable local development and improve conditions at mines
Going forward, BSR and As You Sow will continue to explore opportunities to support existing efforts and expand awareness about the issues and opportunities for action.
For more information about this issue and the recent forum, contact BSR’s Marshall Chase or Alejandra Martin.
About the Author(s)
Marshall Chase, Associate Director, Advisory Services
Marshall leads BSR’s work with manufacturing companies headquartered in the Americas, in addition to supporting BSR’s information and communications technology and transport & logistics practices... Read more →
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