News
ITSCI Statement on Lawsuit over Congolese cobalt mining deaths
As reported in the news media, five of the world’s largest tech companies have been named in a lawsuit filed on 15th December 2019 by human rights firm International Rights Advocates on behalf of 14 parents and children from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)....
ITSCI at the Responsible Business Summit Europe 2020 !!!
Kay Nimmo, Head of Sustainability of the ITA, will be speaking at the Responsible Business Summit taking place from 26 to 28 May 2020 in London. The Responsible Business Summit Europe will bring together leaders and key stakeholders from across the globe to share...
The European Commission ‘Due diligence ready’ portal
The European Commission has launched ‘Due diligence ready!’ to promote responsible sourcing from high risk and conflict affected areas. The online portal contains information and tools to guide companies on how to check the source of their raw materials and improve...
ITSCI incident review included in Apple’s 2018 Conflict Minerals Report
Apple Inc.’s 2018 Conflict Minerals Report (published here) includes the company’s commitment to meet and exceed due diligence standards, with the ultimate goal of improving conditions on the ground in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and...
Coltan listed by DRC as ‘strategic’
Coltan is among minerals now classified by the DRC as ‘strategic’ substances meaning that it will be subject to an increased royalty rate of 10% under the recently changed Mining Code. According to Reuters, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Mines signed a decree...
ITSCI staff training for continued improvement
With the ITSCI programme now operating in four countries, training events for project staff are an international affair. In July, project managers and reporting officers for Burundi, Rwanda, the DRC and Uganda convened in Bujumbura, Burundi for extensive training....
Uganda to biometrically register artisanal miners
The Uganda Daily Monitor reported that the Uganda’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development will biometrically register Uganda’s artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM). The process budgeted at US$350,000 aims to provide clarity and transparency to the small mining...
OECD rates ITSCI programme highest in responsible minerals assessment
A detailed assessment by the OECD recently concluded that the standards of the ITSCI Programme are 100% aligned with the 5 Step due diligence recommendations of the OECD’s internationally accepted guidance for good company management, risk assessment and mitigation,...
DRC Mining Regulations drafted as expected
Reuters reported that the commission set up to draft detailed regulations to implement the new DRC mining code has completed its work with limited concessions to the requests of large mining companies in the country. The 700+-page draft which has been circulated by...