Global supply chain sustainability site Ecodesk has launched a monitoring tool for businesses to track conflict mineral use in supply chains.
The company says the aim of the monitor is to help businesses track the materials using a standard EICC declaration form and the Ecodesk digital supply chain dashboard.
As each supplier completes a declaration on their Ecodesk sustainability profile, data is automatically connected to a customer dashboard, which enables businesses to analyze in one simple view, conflict mineral use by geography, industry and by individual smelters.
Following the SEC ruling in the US and the recent European Commission consultation, suppliers are likely to receive multiple requests for declarations, Ecodesk says. While this normally would mean suppliers would have to answer each request separately, Ecodesk says it hopes to help customers and their suppliers report only once but share several times through its profile-based platform, and avoid the repetition of repeat questionnaires.
This is essential in helping businesses quickly and cost-effectively understand their commitment to conflict minerals in the supply chain, the company says.
“Businesses are drowning in multiple questionnaires so we are helping Ecodesk subscribers to make things as easy as possible for suppliers to disclose conflict minerals use,” said Ecodesk founder Robert Clarke. “Our goal is to be an early warning system for non-financial factors in supply chains, providing businesses with a quick and clear understanding of potential problems before they occur. This is achieved through transparent sustainability data and disclosure of materials of interest, including conflict minerals.
“We are constantly updating our platform to provide new ways of easily managing and analyzing data and to offer increased connectivity between customers and suppliers, so that each can benefit from their mutual efforts towards greater transparency,” he added.
Ecodesk claims a number of leading ICT businesses have already been piloting the system and plan to go live later this month.
In March, Ecodesk announced that 25 companies representing one million suppliers joined its VIP Enterprise Innovator Program aimed at developing a clear and unambiguous business case for supply chain efficiency. The campaign uses the company’s automated platform to profile firms’ top 50 to 500 suppliers’ energy use, GHG emissions, waste and water consumption without requiring suppliers to fill out questionnaires. Ecodesk produces reports showing financial savings, risk mitigation, efficiency gains and environmental stewardship results businesses can expect from improving supply chain sustainability.
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Founder & Principal Consultant, Hower Impact
Mike Hower is the founder of Hower Impact — a boutique consultancy delivering best-in-class strategic communication advisory and support for corporate sustainability, ESG and climate tech.
Published Jul 19, 2013 2am EDT / 11pm PDT / 7am BST / 8am CEST