Beyond Compliance: Demonstrating our commitment to responsible sourcing in the DRC

Qualcomm has been contributing to efforts to responsibly source minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and adjoining countries since 2010, when we joined the Conflict Free Sourcing Initiative (then the EICC-GeSI Extractives Working Group) and published our first Conflict Free Minerals Policy.

We are thrilled to be recognized again this year as a leader by the Responsible Sourcing Network and Sustainalytics in their Mining the Disclosures report, a deep analysis of corporate due diligence procedures that identify and address conflict minerals’ risks, human rights performance, and in-region impact.

We believe it is important to not only continue to promote responsible in-region sourcing but also to contribute to on-the-ground development efforts in the Great Lakes Region. It’s also critical that a broad range of stakeholders continues to work together if we are to both make a responsible supply chain a reality and improve economic conditions on-the-ground in the DRC and surrounding countries.

That’s why we have worked with Pact to develop occupational health and safety training for artisanal miners. With Qualcomm’s support, Pact is developing a graphic training manual to address the most common and serious risks at mine sites in Katanga, Congo, based on a mining engineer’s recommendations for health and safety.

Many Congolese miners cannot read and have had little formal education, so the manual leverages easy-to-understand images. Pact plans to conduct hands-on trainings and safety lessons over the course of the next year, integrating the safety demonstrations with Pact’s existing mineral traceability and development programs at mine sites and making sure the knowledge takes hold. Moreover, we are excited that the Dutch government recently committed funds to help scale up health and safety trainings based on the groundwork we’re laying now.

Our work with Pact is one example of how we are advancing the objective of improving quality of life for miners and their families. You can read more about this endeavor in a Devex op ed I recently co-wrote with Pact CEO Mark Viso.

Eager to learn more about responsible minerals sourcing and mining for change? Register to attend A World of Promise: Advancing Mining Opportunities, an event hosted by Pact in Washington, DC on Tuesday, October 6.