NGO Ranks 155 Companies Across 20 Industries Revealing Significant Supply Chain, ESG Risks for Major Brands

CARLSBAD, Calif., Sept. 22 2015 /3BL Media/ – Most U.S. large-cap companies are still lagging in efforts to affect positive change with regard to global humanitarian issues, but existing technology and solutions can quickly reverse this trend.  That is among the conclusions expected to be revealed today by a panel of experts participating in a webinar regarding the release of a major research study into corporate social responsibility and conflict minerals filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The webinar, hosted by Source Intelligence (SI), features the co-authors of Mining the Disclosures 2015: An Investor Guide to Conflict Minerals Reporting by the non-profit Responsible Sourcing Network (RSN). The webinar is scheduled for 11 a.m. (PST). To view it, click here. 

The report and webinar come at a time of growing evidence that suggest ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) factors, when integrated into investment analysis and decision-making, may offer investors potential long-term performance advantages.

The webinar features Patricia Jurewicz, director of RSN, and Andrew Arriaga, lead report author, as well as Jennifer Kraus, SI’s chief scientific officer and co-founder.

“For some companies, conflict minerals is one of many social metrics, such as health and safety, labor conditions, or supply chain diversity, which many are already reporting on publicly,” Jurewicz said. “For others, conflict minerals due diligence is the first experience of engaging suppliers on a human rights issue. The latter is still very evident as shown by our study.”

Today’s webinar will explain RSN’s second report and provide in-depth discussions about the organization’s ranking of 155 sample companies in 20 industry sectors who were among the more than 1,200 businesses filing reports with the SEC. These reports are focused on determining whether a company’s products contain minerals from war-torn regions in Africa.

The session will also offer companies recommendations on how to improve supply chain transparency.

“Regulatory and social pressure for 'hyper-transparency' and the ability to substantiate market-facing claims is only growing,” Kraus said. “This webinar will provide companies with very specific steps to optimize their commitments, reduce risk and move beyond simply regulatory compliance. We service hundreds of global brands and see first hand that stakes are very large and the rewards are already evident.”

RSN’s report developed 21 key performance indicators across five areas as a guide for investors and others to properly assess a company’s commitment to social impact. The transparent methodology was designed to encourage higher quality reporting, incentivize companies to support in-region conflict-free certification efforts, and set a precedent for comparing social performance. 

The report calls on investors to encourage supply chain transparency, industry-wide efforts, and a more proactive approach to due diligence efforts and multi-dimensional reporting, including regulatory filings, website and CSR disclosure.

About Responsible Sourcing Network (www.sourcingnetwork.org) 
Responsible Sourcing Network is a project of the nonprofit organization As You Sow (www.asyousow.org). RSN is dedicated to ending human rights abuses associated with the raw materials found in products we use every day. RSN supports stakeholders in leveraging their influence to achieve and measure impact in the areas of conflict minerals and slave labor.

About Source Intelligence® (www.sourceintelligence.com)
Source Intelligence® (SI) is a global network of businesses linked together to expedite the exchange and validation of compliance information. SI's cloud-based SaaS platform helps customers make informed decisions about business partners to offer products that meet legal, ethical, and environmental standards. The company's information and analytics platform provides customers with visibility into supply chains in order to comply with the law, minimize operational and brand risk, and improve efficiency. Founded in 2010 by career experts in environmental solutions and analytics, Source Intelligence® has headquarters in Carlsbad, California and operations worldwide.

Responsible Sourcing Network Contact:
Kristin Costa, Communications Associate
408-500-8555
kcosta@asyousow.org

Source Intelligence® Contact: 
Lina Ramos, Chief Business Officer 
760-232-4087 
lramos@sourceintelligence.com