Responsible Minerals Sourcing

Hamamatsu Photonics Group recognizes that problems of minerals concerning tin, tantalum, tungsten, gold, and cobalt, etc, including human rights abuse such as child labor, environmental destruction, and source of funding for groups involved in inhumane armed acts, are one of serious social issues throughout the supply chains for minerals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries. From CSR viewpoint, we set our basic policy claiming to contribute solving such problems, and are committed to promote the following measures with our suppliers.

 

<Fundamental Policy of Responsible Minerals Sourcing>

 

We will   

  • promote to procure minerals solely from smelters certified as conflict-free under the Responsible Minerals Initiative(RMI*).
  • establish our supply chain management framework compliant with OECD due diligence guidance.
  • carry out the corrective action measures promptly to reduce the risks if identified. Especially, we will examine the concerns if customers pointed out, and do further actions such as survey to our suppliers.

 

※Responsible Minerals Initiative

Framework for Responsible Minerals Sourcing

We have established a management system in which the Chief of Administration General Headquarters (Senior Executive Officer) is the chief executive officer. The Procurement Headquarters carries out a central role in policy, action plans and supplier surveys related to responsible minerals sourcing.

Surveys for Responsible Minerals Sourcing

We conduct surveys using the reporting templates (CMRT and EMRT) provided by the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI). We evaluate the results and conduct surveys of our suppliers as necessary. In order to accurately respond to customer requests, we have also introduced a database system to support related operations, such as managing and responding to survey results.


Activities Under the 5 Steps of Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas issued by OECD.

STEP 1: Establish strong company management systems. Hamamatsu Photonics establishes a company-wide policy, implements a supply chain due diligence program.
STEP 2: Identify and assess risks in the supply chain. We conduct responsible minerals sourcing surveys of the suppliers using CMRT and EMRT templates created by the RMI. The procurement headquarters identifies and assesses risks from the information of RMI's certified smelter lists.
STEP 3: Design and implement a strategy to respond to identified risks. If risks are identified, we notify the supplier concerned and carry out with the supplier to correct the situation.
STEP 4: Carry out an independent third-party audit of the smelter/refiner due diligence practices. We use the results of the RMI's Responsible Minerals Assurance Program (RMAP) is assessments.
STEP 5: Report annually on supply chain due diligence.

We disclose information about responsible minerals sourcing activity in our Integrated Report and on our corporate website.

Survey results (fiscal year ending September 30, 2023 (FY2023))

3TG Survey Results

  • Collection of information on recent trends in regulation of conflict minerals (participation in presentations by industry groups) 
  • In FY2023, We conducted a survey of 87 business partners and collected the survey forms (response rate:  97 %). Survey efforts are continuing with respect to business partners that did not complete the survey.
  • Our research identified 222 smelters that are certified by RMI as conflict-free.

 

Cobalt survey results

  • Collection of information on recent trends in regulation of conflict minerals (participation in presentations by industry groups)
  • In FY2023, We conducted a survey of 46 business partners and collected the survey forms (response rate: 93 %). Survey efforts are continuing with respect to business partners that did not complete the survey.

Education and training

We provide the education to managers and personnel in charge of procurement departments and some suppliers on responsible minerals sourcing to raise awareness and deepen their understanding of the issue.

Cooperation with Industry organizations

  • Hamamatsu Photonics has joined the "Responsible Minerals Trade Working Group" organized by the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA), actively collected information and promoted collaboration with industry organizations.

 

Reporting to Mitigate Mineral Sourcing Risks

We complies with the OECD's Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas and accepts reports from suppliers concerning mineral sourcing risks.