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Environmental, Social and Governance Issues Associated With Sourcing Materials

Material Insights uses a proprietary approach to rate the importance of supply chain ESG issues for downstream users of materials based on information contained in publicly available reports.

Each material is assigned a score to measure the strength of association with 19 different environmental, social or governance issues. The material’s strength of association with each ESG issue is categorised on a scale ranging from very low to very high, according to the severity and credibility of identified reports.

This data can be used by downstream users to help identify possible red flags that require further investigation, in accordance with the process recommended in the OECD’s Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains.

  1. Very low

  2. Low

  3. Moderate

  4. High

  5. Very High

  Social   Governance   Environmental
  Occupational health and safety Icon
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Occupational health and safety Icon

Occupational health and safety

Violations of standards intended to ensure safe working conditions and protect workers from work-related injuries and illnesses.

Disease prevalence in affected communities Icon
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Disease prevalence in affected communities Icon

Disease prevalence in affected communities

Public health effects in communities affected by commercial activities.

Negative perceptions of corporate citizenship Icon
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Negative perceptions of corporate citizenship Icon

Negative perceptions of corporate citizenship

Public criticism of corporate practices, particularly in relation to perceptions that companies act unethically or fail to fulfil social obligations in pursuit of profit.

Community rights violations (OECD Annex II) Icon
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Community rights violations (OECD Annex II) Icon

Community rights violations (OECD Annex II)

Violations of human rights, including the rights to life, health, property, and a healthy environment, arising from commercial activities such as mining or heavy industry.

Forced Labour Icon
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Forced Labour Icon

Forced Labour

Work that is performed involuntarily or through coercion.

Company-community conflict (non-Annex II) Icon
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Company-community conflict (non-Annex II) Icon

Company-community conflict (non-Annex II)

Violent or non-violent protests, disputes, or conflicts, involving companies and members of communities affected by their activities.

Child labour Icon
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Child labour Icon

Child labour

The employment of children in work that is harmful to their mental or physical development, is dangerous, or interferes with their education.

Indigenous Peoples rights Icon
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Indigenous Peoples rights Icon

Indigenous Peoples rights

Violations of indigenous peoples’ land rights and threats to the preservation of their cultural heritage.

Violence and conflict (Annex II) Icon
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Violence and conflict (Annex II) Icon

Violence and conflict (Annex II)

The direct or indirect support to non-state armed groups from actors engaged in material supply chains.

Labour rights Icon
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Labour rights Icon

Labour rights

Violations of international standards in relation to working conditions or freedom of association.

  Corruption Icon
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Corruption Icon

Corruption

The abuse of authority to acquire illicit benefits or private gain, often in relation to the payment or receipt of bribes.

Illicit financial flows (Annex II) Icon
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Illicit financial flows (Annex II) Icon

Illicit financial flows (Annex II)

Capital flows between countries where funds are illegally earned, transferred or utilised across international borders.

Non-payment of taxes (Annex II) Icon
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Non-payment of taxes (Annex II) Icon

Non-payment of taxes (Annex II)

The illegal evasion of taxes owed to governments, or the (legal) pursuit of ways to reduce tax liabilities.

  Negative biodiversity and conservation impact Icon
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Negative biodiversity and conservation impact Icon

Negative biodiversity and conservation impact

Harm caused to animal or plant species as a result of human activities.

Release of radiation Icon
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Release of radiation Icon

Release of radiation

Exposure to radioactive material associated with mining or mine waste.

Tailings breaches Icon
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Tailings breaches Icon

Tailings breaches

The failure of a tailings dam or storage facility, resulting in potential for harm to humans or the environment.

Animal rights Icon
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Animal rights Icon

Animal rights

Pollution Icon
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Pollution Icon

Pollution

The introduction of harmful materials into the environment.

Degraded/fragmented landscapes Icon
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Degraded/fragmented landscapes Icon

Degraded/fragmented landscapes

Damage caused to landscapes by human activity, resulting in the landscape suffering a loss of its natural productivity or being broken-up into disconnected fragments.

Deforestation Icon
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Deforestation Icon

Deforestation

The conversion of formerly forest habitats for activities such as agriculture, mining, or human settlement.

Climate change Icon
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Climate change Icon

Climate change

Aluminium Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate Low High Moderate Low Moderate Low   Moderate Low Moderate   High Very low Low Low Very high Moderate Low Moderate
Bauxite    
Boron Low Low Very low Very low Low Low Very low Very low Very low Low   Very low Very low Very low   Moderate Low Very low Very low Moderate Low Very low Very low
Calcium Moderate Low Low Low Low Moderate Low Low Low     Moderate Moderate Low Low
Cerium Low     Low Low
Chromium Low Low Moderate Low Low Moderate High   Moderate Low Moderate   Low Moderate
Cobalt Very high High High Very high Very high Very high Very high High Very high Very high   Very high Moderate Very high   Very high Low Low Low Very high Very high Moderate Moderate
Copper Very high High Very high Very high High Very high Very high Very high Very high High   Very high Moderate High   Very high Moderate Moderate Low Very high Very high Moderate Moderate
Dysprosium Low Moderate Very low Low Low Low Low Low Low Very low   Low Very low Moderate   Moderate Moderate Low Very low High Moderate Low Low
Fluorite Low Low Low Very low   Low   Very low Low Very low
Gallium Low Low     Low Low
Glass     Very low
Gold Very high Moderate High Very high Very high Very high Very high Very high Very high Very high   Very high Very high Very high   Very high Very low Low Low Very high High High Moderate
Graphite Very low Low Very low Very low Low Very low Low Low Low Low   Low Very low Low   Moderate Very low Very low Very low Moderate Moderate Low Low
Iridium    
Iron High Moderate Moderate Moderate Low High Moderate Moderate Moderate Low   High Moderate High   Very high Very low Moderate Low Very high Moderate High Moderate
Lead Moderate Very high Moderate Low High Moderate Low Low Low   Low Low   Moderate Low Low Very high Moderate Very low Low
Leather Low Low Low Low     Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate
Limestone Moderate Low     Low Low Low Low
Lithium Moderate Low Moderate Moderate Low Very high High High Low Moderate   Moderate Very low Moderate   Very high Low Low Very low Very high High Moderate Moderate
Magnesium Low Low Very low Very low Very low Low Very low Low Very low Very low   Very low Very low Very low   Low Very low Very low Very low Low Very low Low Low
Manganese Moderate Moderate Moderate Low Low Moderate Moderate High Low Moderate   Moderate Low Moderate   High Very low Very low Low High Moderate Low Low
Metallurgical Coal Moderate Moderate Low Moderate Low Low Moderate Low Low Moderate   Moderate Low   Moderate Low High Moderate Very low Moderate
Mica High Moderate Moderate Low Low High Moderate   Moderate Moderate   Low Low Moderate Low Low
Molybdenum Low Low Low Low Low Low Low Low   Low Low Low   Low Low Moderate Low Low Low
Neodymium Low Low Very low Very low Very low Low Very low Low Very low Very low   Very low Very low Very low   Low Moderate Very low Very low Moderate Very low Very low Low
Nickel Moderate Moderate Low Moderate Moderate High High High Moderate High   High Very low Low   Very high Very low Moderate Low Very high High Moderate Moderate
Niobium Moderate Moderate Very low Low Moderate Moderate High Very low Moderate Moderate   Moderate Very low Moderate   Moderate Moderate Very low Very low Moderate Low Low Low
Palladium Very low Low Low Low Very low Very low Very low Low Low Very low   Moderate Very low Very low   Low Very low Very low Very low Low Low Low Very low
Phosphorus Low Moderate Low Low Low Low Low   Moderate Low Low   Moderate Low Low Moderate Moderate
Platinum Low Low Low Low Low Low Low Low Very low   Moderate Low Low   Moderate Low Moderate Low Low Low
Potassium Low Low Low     Low Low Low Low Low
Rare Earth Elements Moderate Moderate Low Moderate Moderate Moderate Low Moderate   Moderate Low Moderate   Moderate High Low Very high High Low Low
Rhodium Low   Low  
Rubber Moderate Low Low Low Low Low Low     Moderate Moderate Low Low
Scrap steel Low Low Very low     Low Low
Silica    
Silicon Moderate Very low Low Moderate High Low Moderate Very low Moderate Moderate   Low Moderate Low   Low Very low Moderate Very low Low Low
Silver Moderate Low Low Moderate Very low High High Moderate Moderate Moderate   Moderate Low Moderate   Moderate Very low Very low Very low High Low Low Low
Steel Moderate Low Low Very low Very low Moderate Very low Low Very low Very low   Low Very low Low   Low Very low Very low Moderate Low Low Moderate
Talc Low Low Low Moderate   Low Low  
Tantalum High Moderate Moderate Very high High Moderate Very high Low Very high High   Very high Moderate Very high   Moderate Moderate Low High Moderate Moderate Low
Tin High Moderate Moderate High High High Very high High Very high High   Very high Moderate Very high   High Low Low Very high High Moderate Low
Titanium Moderate Low Moderate Moderate Moderate High Moderate Low Low Low   Moderate Low Moderate   Moderate Moderate Low Moderate Low Moderate
Tungsten Moderate Low Moderate High High Very low Very high Low Very high High   High Moderate Very high   Low Low Moderate Moderate Low Very low
Vanadium Very low Very low Very low Very low Very low Very low Very low Very low Very low Very low   Very low Very low Very low   Very low Very low Very low Very low Very low Very low
Zinc Moderate High Low Moderate Moderate High High Moderate Low Moderate   Moderate Low   Moderate Low Very high Moderate Very low
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Social

Occupational health and safety Icon

Occupational health and safety

toggle arrow

Violations of standards intended to ensure safe working conditions and protect workers from work-related injuries and illnesses.

Disease prevalence in affected communities Icon

Disease prevalence in affected communities

toggle arrow

Public health effects in communities affected by commercial activities.

Negative perceptions of corporate citizenship Icon

Negative perceptions of corporate citizenship

toggle arrow

Public criticism of corporate practices, particularly in relation to perceptions that companies act unethically or fail to fulfil social obligations in pursuit of profit.

Community rights violations (OECD Annex II) Icon

Community rights violations (OECD Annex II)

toggle arrow

Violations of human rights, including the rights to life, health, property, and a healthy environment, arising from commercial activities such as mining or heavy industry.

Forced Labour Icon

Forced Labour

toggle arrow

Work that is performed involuntarily or through coercion.

Company-community conflict (non-Annex II) Icon

Company-community conflict (non-Annex II)

toggle arrow

Violent or non-violent protests, disputes, or conflicts, involving companies and members of communities affected by their activities.

Child labour Icon

Child labour

toggle arrow

The employment of children in work that is harmful to their mental or physical development, is dangerous, or interferes with their education.

Indigenous Peoples rights Icon

Indigenous Peoples rights

toggle arrow

Violations of indigenous peoples’ land rights and threats to the preservation of their cultural heritage.

Violence and conflict (Annex II) Icon

Violence and conflict (Annex II)

toggle arrow

The direct or indirect support to non-state armed groups from actors engaged in material supply chains.

Labour rights Icon

Labour rights

toggle arrow

Violations of international standards in relation to working conditions or freedom of association.

Governance

Corruption Icon

Corruption

toggle arrow

The abuse of authority to acquire illicit benefits or private gain, often in relation to the payment or receipt of bribes.

Illicit financial flows (Annex II) Icon

Illicit financial flows (Annex II)

toggle arrow

Capital flows between countries where funds are illegally earned, transferred or utilised across international borders.

Non-payment of taxes (Annex II) Icon

Non-payment of taxes (Annex II)

toggle arrow

The illegal evasion of taxes owed to governments, or the (legal) pursuit of ways to reduce tax liabilities.

Environmental

Negative biodiversity and conservation impact Icon

Negative biodiversity and conservation impact

toggle arrow

Harm caused to animal or plant species as a result of human activities.

Release of radiation Icon

Release of radiation

toggle arrow

Exposure to radioactive material associated with mining or mine waste.

Tailings breaches Icon

Tailings breaches

toggle arrow

The failure of a tailings dam or storage facility, resulting in potential for harm to humans or the environment.

Animal rights Icon

Animal rights

toggle arrow
Pollution Icon

Pollution

toggle arrow

The introduction of harmful materials into the environment.

Degraded/fragmented landscapes Icon

Degraded/fragmented landscapes

toggle arrow

Damage caused to landscapes by human activity, resulting in the landscape suffering a loss of its natural productivity or being broken-up into disconnected fragments.

Deforestation Icon

Deforestation

toggle arrow

The conversion of formerly forest habitats for activities such as agriculture, mining, or human settlement.

Climate change Icon

Climate change

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