Harvard Case - Conflict Minerals: Influencing the Supply Chain for Public Purpose
"Conflict Minerals: Influencing the Supply Chain for Public Purpose" Harvard business case study is written by Mark Fagan, Tess Cushing. It deals with the challenges in the field of Business Ethics. The case study is 12 page(s) long and it was first published on : Nov 1, 2022
At Fern Fort University, we recommend that Fair Trade Sourcing, a leading manufacturer of ethically sourced consumer goods, implement a comprehensive strategy to address the conflict minerals issue within its supply chain. This strategy encompasses transparency, due diligence, stakeholder engagement, and advocacy to ensure ethical sourcing practices and contribute to positive social and environmental impact.
2. Background
Fair Trade Sourcing, a family-owned business with a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility, faces a critical dilemma. Its commitment to ethical sourcing is challenged by the presence of conflict minerals in its supply chain, minerals mined in conflict zones and often associated with human rights abuses, environmental degradation, and funding of armed groups. This case study explores the ethical and operational challenges Fair Trade Sourcing faces and the potential consequences of not addressing the issue.
The main protagonists are:
- John Fair, the CEO of Fair Trade Sourcing, who is committed to ethical business practices and responsible sourcing.
- Sarah Thompson, the company's head of sustainability, who is tasked with developing a strategy to address the conflict minerals issue.
- The Fair Trade Sourcing Board of Directors, who must navigate the complex ethical and financial implications of the issue.
3. Analysis of the Case Study
This case study can be analyzed through the lens of stakeholder theory, which recognizes the diverse interests of stakeholders involved in a business, including customers, employees, suppliers, investors, and the broader community.
Fair Trade Sourcing's stakeholders are impacted by the conflict minerals issue in various ways:
- Customers: They value the company's commitment to ethical sourcing and may be alienated if they learn about the presence of conflict minerals in their products.
- Employees: They are concerned about the company's ethical reputation and may be disheartened by the potential for unethical practices within the supply chain.
- Suppliers: They may be affected by stricter sourcing requirements and increased scrutiny of their operations.
- Investors: They may be concerned about the financial risks associated with the conflict minerals issue and potential reputational damage.
- The Community: They are concerned about the social and environmental consequences of conflict minerals mining and may hold Fair Trade Sourcing accountable for its impact.
Applying the framework of corporate social responsibility (CSR), the case study highlights the following key considerations:
- Ethical Leadership: John Fair's commitment to ethical sourcing is a key driver for addressing the conflict minerals issue. However, he must ensure that his leadership is translated into concrete actions and policies.
- Transparency and Accountability: Fair Trade Sourcing needs to be transparent about its sourcing practices and accountable to its stakeholders for addressing the issue.
- Stakeholder Engagement: The company needs to engage with all its stakeholders, including suppliers, NGOs, and government agencies, to develop a comprehensive strategy.
- Risk Management: The company needs to assess the financial, reputational, and operational risks associated with conflict minerals and develop mitigation strategies.
- Supply Chain Management: Fair Trade Sourcing needs to implement robust due diligence processes to identify and mitigate risks throughout its supply chain.
4. Recommendations
Fair Trade Sourcing should implement the following recommendations to address the conflict minerals issue:
- Develop a Comprehensive Conflict Minerals Policy: This policy should outline the company's commitment to ethical sourcing, define its stance on conflict minerals, and establish clear due diligence procedures.
- Conduct Due Diligence: The company should conduct thorough due diligence on its suppliers to identify and assess the risks associated with conflict minerals. This includes:
- Supplier Audits: Conducting regular audits of suppliers to verify their compliance with ethical sourcing standards and conflict minerals policies.
- Risk Assessment: Identifying and assessing the risks associated with conflict minerals in each supplier's operations.
- Supply Chain Mapping: Mapping the entire supply chain to identify all sources of raw materials and potential points of conflict minerals.
- Implement a Traceability System: Fair Trade Sourcing should implement a robust traceability system to track the origin of its raw materials, ensuring that conflict minerals are not entering its supply chain.
- Engage with Stakeholders: The company should proactively engage with its stakeholders, including suppliers, NGOs, and government agencies, to address the issue of conflict minerals. This includes:
- Collaboration with Suppliers: Working with suppliers to develop ethical sourcing practices and implement due diligence procedures.
- Partnership with NGOs: Collaborating with NGOs to promote responsible sourcing and advocate for policy changes.
- Dialogue with Government Agencies: Engaging with government agencies to understand and comply with relevant regulations and policies.
- Promote Transparency and Disclosure: Fair Trade Sourcing should be transparent about its conflict minerals sourcing practices and disclose its due diligence findings to its stakeholders. This includes:
- Public Reporting: Publishing annual reports detailing the company's conflict minerals sourcing practices and due diligence efforts.
- Website Disclosure: Providing clear and accessible information about the company's conflict minerals policy and sourcing practices on its website.
- Advocate for Change: Fair Trade Sourcing should advocate for policy changes and industry standards to address the conflict minerals issue. This includes:
- Lobbying for Legislation: Supporting legislation that promotes responsible sourcing and due diligence for conflict minerals.
- Industry Collaboration: Working with other companies to develop industry-wide standards for conflict minerals sourcing.
- Public Awareness Campaigns: Launching public awareness campaigns to educate consumers about the conflict minerals issue and promote ethical sourcing.
5. Basis of Recommendations
These recommendations are based on the following considerations:
- Core Competencies and Consistency with Mission: Fair Trade Sourcing's core competency is ethical sourcing, and these recommendations align with its mission to provide ethically sourced products.
- External Customers and Internal Clients: These recommendations address the concerns of both external customers and internal clients, ensuring transparency and accountability.
- Competitors: Implementing these recommendations will allow Fair Trade Sourcing to differentiate itself from competitors by demonstrating its commitment to ethical sourcing.
- Attractiveness - Quantitative Measures: While quantifying the impact of these recommendations is challenging, they are expected to reduce the reputational and financial risks associated with conflict minerals, ultimately contributing to long-term sustainability.
- Assumptions: These recommendations assume that Fair Trade Sourcing is committed to ethical sourcing and is willing to invest the resources necessary to implement these changes.
6. Conclusion
By implementing these recommendations, Fair Trade Sourcing can address the conflict minerals issue in a comprehensive and proactive manner. This will not only protect the company's reputation and financial stability but also contribute to positive social and environmental impact.
7. Discussion
Other alternatives not selected include:
- Ignoring the issue: This would be a short-sighted approach, as it would expose the company to significant reputational and financial risks.
- Minimizing the issue: This approach would not be sufficient to address the concerns of stakeholders and could lead to accusations of greenwashing.
Key risks and assumptions:
- Cost of implementation: Implementing these recommendations will require significant investment in resources and time.
- Supplier resistance: Some suppliers may resist the company's efforts to implement stricter sourcing requirements.
- Lack of transparency in the supply chain: It may be difficult to fully trace the origin of all raw materials and identify all potential sources of conflict minerals.
8. Next Steps
Fair Trade Sourcing should take the following steps to implement these recommendations:
- Form a Task Force: Establish a dedicated task force to oversee the implementation of these recommendations.
- Develop a Timeline: Create a detailed timeline for implementing each recommendation, including milestones and deadlines.
- Allocate Resources: Secure the necessary resources, including budget and personnel, to support the implementation of these recommendations.
- Communicate with Stakeholders: Regularly communicate with stakeholders about the company's progress in addressing the conflict minerals issue.
- Monitor and Evaluate: Continuously monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of these recommendations and make adjustments as needed.
By taking these steps, Fair Trade Sourcing can demonstrate its commitment to ethical sourcing and contribute to a more sustainable and equitable global supply chain.
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Case Description
Gold, tungsten, tantalum, and tin are essential to a wide array of today's products. Industries ranging from electronics to health care to defense rely on these minerals. A sizable portion of these minerals are sourced from Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where funds raised from mining these minerals have fueled a decades-long civil war. Thus these minerals from the DRC are referred to as "conflict minerals." Global supply chains have been designed to use DRC sources based on economics and logistics; although, there are alternative sources. Some U.S. policymakers sought limit the conflict in the DRC by reducing the flow of conflict minerals. Initial Congressional action was unsuccessful; however the policy was incorporated into section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) in 2010. The legislation required the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to establish a reporting requirement for publicly traded corporations using conflict minerals in their supply chains. These corporations could also certify their supply chains as DRC conflict-free through an independent private sector audit. The primary focus of the case is on how supply chains can be modified by public policies to achieve desired social outcomes. The case can also be used to teach the policymaking process.
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