IPC Releases White Paper on Conflict Minerals Due Diligence

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The Dodd-Frank Act continues to be burdensome for companies required to report on the usage of conflict minerals. In order to address industry concerns, IPC – Association Connecting Electronics Industries has released IPC-1081, Conflict Minerals Due Diligence White Paper (IPC WP-1081), a document designed to help with some reporting woes.

Developed and published by IPC’s E-30 Conflict Minerals Due Diligence Committee, this white paper provides the electronics industry with practical examples for developing a conflict minerals compliance program within a company. In addition, the White Paper contains examples of industry-specific information on where tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold are used in electronics.

IPC WP-1081 also discusses a few different methods for engaging suppliers. These tools and techniques will help companies establish and sustain a working relationship with suppliers, resulting in an effective conflict minerals program.

“IPC-1081, Conflict Minerals Due Diligence White Paper is a great evolving central reference of relevant information compiled to help stakeholders develop their internal conflict minerals programs,” said E-30 committee co-chair David Carnevale, staff engineer, Energy and Environmental Compliance at Dolby Laboratories, “The committee assembled this resource to address a recently formed gap in which some ambiguity still exists.”

Though IPC WP-1081 does not establish mandatory practices, it was developed to be consistent with the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Due Diligence Guidance, which is referenced in Dodd-Frank and the draft European Union conflict minerals regulations.

IPC WP-1081 is available for download at www.ipc.org/1081. For additional information, contact Fern Abrams, IPC director of regulatory affairs and government relations, at FernAbrams@ipc.org.

About IPC

IPC is a global industry association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 3,700 member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $2 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Ga.; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; Bangalore and New Delhi, India; Bangkok, Thailand; and Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Suzhou and Beijing, China.