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"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.
Since Section 1502 on conflict minerals of the U.S. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act) enacted in January 2013, requires company listed in the United States to investigate the use of conflict minerals mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its adjoining countries, and report the results. Toshiba Group is not a listed company but as a company in the supply chain of listed companies will investigate and report it to our customers.
For humanitarian reasons, Toshiba Group's policy prohibits the use of raw materials such as tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its neighboring countries, which are helping to violate human rights.
Toshiba Group Conflict Mineral Policy
We are developing and implementing a policy prohibiting use of tin, tantalum, tungsten*1, and gold, 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.
We require our suppliers to cooperate with us in our efforts to assure procurement of non-conflict minerals in accordance with the Toshiba Group Conflict Mineral Policy.
*1Derivatives of cassiterite, coltan and wolframite
*2Global e-Sustainability Initiative (an initiative for achieving integrated social and environmental sustainability through ICT)
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:
Conflict Mineral Survey
*Tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (referred to as "3TG").
Efforts in Cooperation with Industry Organizations
Participation in Public-Private Partnership projects
Communications with NGOs
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.