Responsible Sourcing

The DRC has a long history of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), and around two million people rely on ASM for a living.

We recognise the legitimacy of cobalt from responsible ASM operations in the global supply chain and welcome the efforts by responsible sourcing initiatives and international organisations to improve practices and address the risks of human rights violations.

Meanwhile, we are working with stakeholders to address the poverty that is the underlying cause of ASM.

The Fair Cobalt Alliance (FCA) was launched in 2019 to support and improve the working conditions of artisanal and small-scale miners and eliminate child labour in the DRC as the global demand for battery minerals grows. Among the companies backing this initiative are Glencore, Chinese cobalt refiner Zhejiang Huayou and Tesla.

The FCA works closely with the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) to achieve wider recognition of responsible ASM cobalt and encourage joint action by upstream and downstream players to increase the supply of responsible ASM cobalt.

We have been assessed against the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process Standard for Cobalt. We are proud to have been accredited by the RMI and remain committed to our purpose to responsibly source the commodities that advance everyday life.