Policy Conformity
Over the years, the supply of minerals, such as Tantalum, from Africa has been covered up by mass media, making most people are unaware that the sector is very controlled by local and international bodies.
In spite of this situation, our company’s policy and ethics have always been based on the following:
“Whatever is my right as a man is also the right of another; and it becomes my duty to guarantee as well as to possess.”
― Thomas Paine, Rights of Man
Section 1502 of the US law known as the “Dodd-Frank Act” includes a requirement that companies using gold, tin, tungsten and tantalum must make efforts to determine if those materials came from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) or an adjoining country and, if so, to carry out a “due diligence” review of their supply chain to determine whether their mineral purchases are funding armed groups in Eastern DRC. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued the final rule implementing Section 1502 in August 2012. The rule requires companies to publicly report on their due diligence and to have their reports independently audited. The initial reporting period started in January 2013.
THE COMPANY’S ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
- Upholding human dignity and valuing it above all with no exceptions.
- Never justifying the oppression of minorities of any form/in any situation in the daily business operations.
- Never supporting corruption and never involving our company into any corrupted activities.
- Always protecting human life in all forms.
- Guiding our business operations with the fundamental goal of improving the economy of Rwanda as well as the welfare of its people.
- Knowingly never conducting any business with persons or groups of people involved in acts of violence.
- Knowingly never conducting any business with persons or groups of people purchasing minerals from rebel or armed groups.
- Ensuring that all of our suppliers acknowledge their acceptance that they adhere to these ethical principles by signing the corresponding documents.
- Due to a continuous effort to apply and to improve these Ethical Fundamentals, making occasional inquiries, requesting documentation and investigating (directly or through intermediaries) which investigations shall be allowed by clients, suppliers and contractors involved in our business.
- Issuing a copy of the translated OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas to all of our suppliers, committing them to adhering to this document’s requirements, fully supported and upheld by our company.
- Committing to comply with the OECD ‘Model Supply Chain Policy’, set under Annex II of the OECD ‘Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Global Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict Affected and High-Risk Areas’ (the “OECD Guidance”).
- Ensuring that all our current staff is employed under the current employment contract which complies with the national laws.