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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
  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.

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.

  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.

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.

  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

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.

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

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.

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.

Governance

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.

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.

Environmental

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

toggle arrow
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.