RESOLVE today announced the launch of a new, independent fund designed to promote early participation of smelters and refineries (smelters) in the Conflict-Free Smelter (CFS) Program. This fund, with initial financial contributions led by Intel and in collaboration with HP and the GE Foundation, seeks to support the early smelter adopters of the CFS Program that demonstrate compliance with the Program protocols as established by the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition® (EICC®) and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI).

The fund is being called the CFS Early-Adopters Fund (Fund). RESOLVE, an independent non-governmental organization that helps design and incubate solutions to natural resource, health, and development challenges, will serve as the independent program and financial manager for the new Fund.

The CFS Program was established to independently determine smelters who are sourcing conflict-free minerals.  More information on this important multi-sector program can be found at www.conflictfreesmelter.org.

The CFS Early-Adopters Fund recognizes early adopters of the CFS Program by offsetting a portion of the transition or start-up costs associated with passing a first-year audit.  Smelters that are found compliant with the CFS Program protocol are eligible for the incentive as long as assets are available in the Fund.  The incentive will be one-half the cost of the first successful audit, up to $5,000 for each eligible smelter company.

RESOLVE’s Solutions Network will manage this pilot program and the financial disbursement.  While being managed by RESOLVE, the Fund will be incorporated into the work of the EICC and GeSI joint Extractives Workgroup and the CFS Program processes, which will enable more companies to easily contribute to the Fund and encourage responsible sourcing.  Approximately one year into the pilot program, RESOLVE will invite key stakeholders to review the program results and help determine how to further strengthen efforts to support capacity building in the supply chain for conflict-free minerals. 

“Early leadership from electronics companies helped catalyze development of the Conflict-Free Smelter Program, and once again we see leaders like Intel, HP and the GE Foundation taking action to make a difference in the world supply chain,” said Stephen D'Esposito, President of RESOLVE.

This Fund is part of a growing fabric of programs designed to build capacity to respond to the challenge of conflict minerals.  The EICC, GeSI, these same sponsoring companies and others also support the Public Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade (http://www.resolv.org/site-ppa/), a multi-stakeholder effort to support capacity-building programs for miners in the DRC and surrounding countries who want to participate in conflict-free programs.  The EICC and GeSI also developed the Conflict Minerals Reporting Template as a common means for the collection of sourcing company due diligence information related to conflict minerals. Companies may adopt the use of the Template as an element of their conflict minerals due diligence program to assist in the verification of responsible sourcing practices.

“The EICC, GeSI, and other responsible companies recognize that progress on these challenging issues will result from a multi-pronged approach that includes action in the marketplace, by governments and through the tireless work of civil society leaders in the DRC and globally,” said Stephen D’Esposito of RESOLVE.

“We are committed to working with stakeholders to test programs like this and inform, refine and strengthen the policy and voluntary efforts on such issues.”

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About RESOLVE:

RESOLVE (www.resolv.org) is a Washington, D.C.–based nonprofit that builds strong, enduring solutions to environmental, social, and health challenges.  RESOLVE helps community, business, government, and NGO leaders get results and create lasting relationships through collaboration. RESOLVE is an independent organization with over thirty years of success.  RESOLVE’s Solutions Network (http://www.solutions-network.org/) is a voluntary, virtual network supported by RESOLVE’s collaborative experts and network of technical and strategic partners.  The Solutions Network mobilizes leaders in business and civil society to incubate and test ideas and turn them into self-sustaining environmental, social, and health solutions, including support for voluntary governance initiatives (http://www.resolv.org/voluntary-governance).  

About Intel:

Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices.  Additional information about Intel is available at newsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com.

About the GE Foundation:

GE Foundation is the philanthropic organization of GE. The Foundation provides grants and invests in initiatives that work to solve some of the world’s most difficult problems. In coordination with our partners, we support U.S. and international education, developing health globally, the environment, public policy, human rights, disaster relief and community success around the globe. The Foundation also supports GE employee and retiree giving and involvement in GE communities through employee programs such as the GE Foundation Matching Gifts Program.

RESOLVE

RESOLVE

RESOLVE builds strong, enduring solutions to environmental, social, and health challenges. We help community, business, government, and NGO leaders get results and create lasting relationships through collaboration. RESOLVE is an independent organization with a thirty-year track record of success.

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