On October 20, 2021, the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) published the new Extended Minerals Reporting Template (EMRT), and it has already received its first update. This new template provides manufacturers with a standardized approach to collecting due diligence information related to where and how minerals in their supply chain are extracted. It also empowers them to make responsible decisions about mineral sourcing by providing the information necessary to identify risks of forced labor and other unethical business practices.
The EMRT specifically addresses cobalt and mica as minerals of concern. However, this template lays out a methodology that can be applied to nearly any mineral. As such, the EMRT is replacing the RMI’s Cobalt Reporting Template (CRT) as the new industry standard, and the RMI will update the new template when new minerals of concern are identified.
Shifting to Responsible Minerals Management
The EMRT addresses the fact that many minerals are not regulated by law, despite being extracted in conflict-affected areas. This voluntary template encourages companies to act beyond the legal requirements for conflict minerals, giving them an adaptable due diligence process to responsibly source any type of mineral.
The EMRT also represents a shift away from mineral-specific individual templates to a more holistic approach toward responsible minerals management. It is an acknowledgement that as corporate social responsibility (CSR) matures, further minerals will need additional scrutiny, and industry needs a template designed to grow with this evolving mindset.
Learn how to use due diligence as a differentiator for your company by viewing our webinar, “New Due Diligence: Building Resilient Sourcing Programs.”
What’s Your Next Step?
As an Assent client using our platform for cobalt management, you now have access to Assent’s Responsible Minerals — Extended Minerals Reporting Template solution, and no further action is required to benefit from this new template. Our solution for complex manufacturers has already been updated to reflect the new EMRT protocols, providing data collection and automation to support cobalt and mica due diligence.
If you are tracking materials data manually, you can download the EMRT here. For support collecting cobalt, mica, or regulated conflict minerals data, contact our experts to learn more about streamlining your program.
