Twelve smelters and refineries were cut from our supply chain in 2021 because they refused to participate in or complete a third-party audit or did not fulfil our standards for the responsible sourcing of minerals.
By 2021, Apple claims it will have cut its supply chain by 12 smelters and refineries to guarantee that all of its minerals are responsibly sourced and in conformity with US conflict minerals legislation.
Apple has filed a new SEC filing stating this “Primary sourced minerals aren’t purchased or procured by Apple directly from mines. For primary minerals and recycled materials supply chains, we are dedicated to meeting and surpassing international requirements of due diligence. As part of our long-term strategy, we also aim to utilise entirely recycled or renewable materials in our packaging and goods in the future, as well as to achieve carbon neutrality for our total footprint by 2030.”
A third-party conflict minerals audit for tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold will be completed by all of Apple’s known smelters and refiners by December 31, 2021. (3TG) According to Apple, the company cut ties with 12 suppliers last year because they either refused to participate in an audit or failed to fulfil the company’s standards for the responsible sourcing of minerals. Since 2009, Apple has terminated 163 vendors from its supply chain that didn’t meet its standards.
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“Conflict minerals” are defined as natural resources exploited in conflict zones and sold illegally to profit or support armed organisations. This report is required by US law. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is particularly hard hit by this problem, although regulation applies to all minerals, no matter where they are extracted. Apple said it has maintained “responsible sourcing activities” and has provided communities with materials and educational initiatives to help avoid COVID-19 during the epidemic.. It went on to say:
Multistakeholder and community initiatives, including support for human rights and environmental defender organisations, and whistleblower initiatives to empower local voices to raise issues and report incidents at the mining level are all part of our efforts to strengthen industry-wide due diligence programmes in areas where 3TG minerals are sourced. Our thorough due diligence methodology is bolstered by the input of these parties. We believe that all stakeholders (including governments, civil society, and industry) should step up their efforts to implement comprehensive due diligence programmes, measure impact, and collaborate with and support local communities in mining areas, including in the African Great Lakes region, in order to improve conditions and drive economic and social growth.
All of Apple’s products, from the greatest iPhones like the iPhone 13 to the iPad, Macs, AirPods, Apple TVs, Apple watches, and Beats headphones to the iPod and HomePod speakers and a few accessories and even the Apple Card, employ this mineral.