Assessing company reporting on mineral supply chain due diligence

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The report presents the findings of a benchmarking study of implementation of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas (“Minerals Guidance”) by a global sample of companies producing, trading and sourcing minerals or metals based on their public disclosures. The study provides evidence of the Minerals Guidance’s role as the keystone in an emerging global architecture for responsible business conduct in mineral supply chains, with a significant expansion in its uptake between 2014 and 2018.

The study also reveals major shortcomings in disclosure related to implementation, especially on how companies use due diligence practically to identify and mitigate risks. In part, this suggests growing pains as companies move beyond compliance-based approaches typically focussed on risks to the company, to a due diligence framework that emphasizes progressive improvement to address adversempacts external to the company, including through responsible engagement in complex operating environments.

This document was prepared by the OECD Secretariat and Wikirate using qualitative and quantitative research methods, to analyse publicly accessible information including annual reports, policies, public audit reports, website content and supplier engagement documents to assess disclosure for 2014 and 2018 of a sample of 503 companies.