The ITSCI due diligence and traceability programme monitors over 2,000 tin, tantalum and tungsten (3T) mine sites across the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda. These countries, besides their rich mineral resources, are also known for their national parks and protected areas which host some of the world’s most endangered species. These include mountain gorillas (gorilla beringei beringei) found in the Virunga volcanic massif protected by national parks in three countries; Virunga National Park in the DRC, the Volcano National Park in Rwanda and the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda.
ITSCI standards are 100% aligned with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for responsible supply chains of minerals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas. The OECD Guidance does not extend to managing environmental risks yet ITSCI procedures have always gone beyond OECD expectations in this regard by integrating the reporting of risks in protected areas, including national parks, through our incident system. This includes reporting of any known 3T mining at non-ITSCI sites, or the mining of gold or other minerals when relevant. When such issues are reported, ITSCI contributes to developing and agreeing mitigation measures implemented by relevant authorities.
