Overview
Background
Profits from minerals such as tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold, mined in the Great Lakes region of Africa, may be supporting conflict in the area. Other minerals in other parts of the world have also been found to be linked to armed conflict. These minerals are used in the manufacture of electronics products procured and used by the University, are to varying extents in other areas such as labs. While some steps are already being taken in the procurement processes used by the University to reduce conflict minerals in supply chains, there is room for further awareness and commitment to taking steps to avoid conflict minerals in the goods we buy.
While no UK Universities have been found to have specific policies on conflict minerals, in the US, over 150 institutions are taking part in the Conflict Free Campus initiative, and this has been translated into the UK context by student-led campaigns at St Andrews and Exeter universities, as well as Glasgow and Kingston. Exeter now includes a broad commitment to reducing conflict minerals in their overall Sustainable Procurement Policy.
It is timely to consider adopting a conflict minerals policy, as part of a broader commitment to social responsibility and sustainability in procurement, given recent legislation on this issue. In the US under the Dodd-Frank Act was signed into law in 2010, which requires companies in the US to disclose whether products contain minerals originating from the Democratic Republic of Congo. At EU level, in May 2015, the European Parliament voted to overturn European Commission proposals for voluntary regulation on conflict minerals, calling instead for law to require EU firms that use tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold from any ‘conflict-affected and high risk areas’ to provide information on steps they have taken to identify and address risks in their supply chains related to the extraction and trade of these minerals. Trilateral negotiations are now taking place between the Parliament, Commission and Council, which may take considerable time. If the University adopts a position and plan on this issue in 2015, it will be in a strong position if such law is passed.
A more substantial summary of the issue of conflict minerals, regulatory considerations, and the procurement context is available on request.
Scope
This policy primarily covers procurement of electronics goods bought in large quantities through collaborative framework agreements, but also commits to ongoing efforts to bring conflict minerals considerations into smaller scale purchasing of electronics equipment containing minerals, and of minerals themselves (for use in laboratories). The policy also makes reference to collaboration between academic researchers, Social Responsibility and Sustainability and Procurement within the University to further our knowledge and action in the area of conflict minerals.
Objectives
- build understanding of conflict minerals and what can be done to combat this issue, drawing on academic and practitioner expertise
- develop an appropriate policy for the university on conflict minerals
- ensure an implementation plan for the policy is in place
Deliverables
- appropriate policy by 2016
- comms/awareness raising around the policy and issue
Benefits
- policy approach ensures strong commitment to this issue
- policy should ensure uniform approach taken across the university
- raises awareness of issues
Success Criteria
- increase in supplier engagement on conflict minerals, leading to progress in reducing them in products
- increased awareness of issue among students and staff re institutional and personal purchases