"Conflict minerals" generally refer to tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold from mines and smelters that have directly or indirectly contributed to the financing of armed groups. Many of these armed groups are responsible for human rights violations. Specifically, some of the mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are controlled by militias responsible for atrocities that have been committed in that country's decades-long civil war, including acts of violence toward women and children.
For humanitarian reasons, Toshiba supports the use of conflict-free minerals in its products. We have taken due diligence steps such as the development of a conflict minerals policy as well as surveying our suppliers to ensure sourcing of conflict-free minerals in the region.
Toshiba Group Conflict Mineral Policy
We are taking steps to develop and implement a policy prohibiting use of cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), coltan (tantalum ore) and gold, or their derivatives, whose extraction or trade supports conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo or adjoining countries, and/or contributes to inhumane treatment, including human trafficking, slavery, forced labor, child labor, torture and war crimes in the region.
- In this regard, we will carry out supply chain due diligence with reference to the OECD guidance. We will use the EICC- GeSI due diligence tool to communicate up and down our supply chain.
- Once a validated supply chain is established through initiatives such as full-fledged smelter verification under EICC- GeSI's Conflict-Free Smelter Program or development of a mineral tracing program, we will require our suppliers to procure the minerals through that validated supply chain.
- Our efforts are not intended at altogether banning procurement of minerals from the DRC and adjoining countries but to assure sourcing from responsible sources in the region.
- We ask our suppliers to cooperate with us in our efforts to assure procurement of non-conflict minerals.
Please visit the following website to review the Toshiba Group policy on conflict minerals and supply chain management http://www.toshiba.co.jp/csr/en/human_rights/index.htm
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Toshiba Corporation's Actions Regarding Conflict-Free Minerals
Toshiba has actively engaged in the following internal and external activities to ensure that its products do not contain conflict minerals:
- In June 2011, Toshiba joined the EICC (Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition) and attends meetings throughout the year.
- In November 2011, Toshiba developed a Conflict Minerals Policy for all Toshiba Group companies.
- Toshiba Group companies in Japan and North America have formed teams to address conflict minerals.
- In FY 2010, training about conflict minerals was provided to Toshiba Group companies.
- In November 2011, Toshiba began to survey the supply chains of its business units that produce semiconductors, hard disk drives and liquid crystal displays to determine whether conflict minerals are used in these product components. Toshiba plans to survey the supply chains of its other business units in 2012.
- Toshiba is participating in the Public-Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade (PPA), a joint effort by the U.S. State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development, non-governmental organizations, industry associations and companies to support responsible minerals trade from the Great Lakes Region of Central Africa. http://www.resolv.org/site-ppa/
- To ensure that our suppliers do not engage in inhumane treatment or acts that abuse human rights, we ask our first-tier suppliers (and their downstream suppliers) to abide by a code of conduct referred to as Supplier Expectations . We also conduct supplier audits to ensure that this policy is being followed. If any human rights violations are brought to our attention, we ask our suppliers to investigate the matter and take necessary steps to correct the violations.
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