The Trend of Transparency

Modern society is becoming more equipped with a broader understanding of CSR and sustainability ethics. The rising trend of transparency is widely acknowledged and is fueling its way right through the beginning of 2014. Consumers are questioning the origin of their products and whether or not they’re sourced from conflict. 

New smartphone app Buycott was released with motive to inform consumers with valuable knowledge about industry leaders and if a corporations values go against their own. The app allows people to scan a barcode and it will trace the ownership of the company, as well as parent companies. Buycott serves as a stepping stone for consumers to discover the source of their product and determine whether or not they want to continue to support it. 

As consumers are becoming consciously more aware of supply chain transparency, industries are also feeling the pressure to comply. After Intel announced that all of their microprocessors in 2014 will be conflict free, Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act is large on the minds of consumers and corporations alike. 

But, Companies that have begun the conflict minerals compliance program implementation process are discovering that complying with the rule is not as straightforward as expected due to a myriad of challenges: depth and complexity of global supply chains, language barriers, political obstacles, confidentiality concerns, supplier resistance, as well as the sensitive nature of the materials being traced.  

Source Intelligence has just released a paper that breaks down the 4 prevailing approached to the implementation of a conflict minerals program. To download the paper click HERE.

By: Jahara Singh