Conflict-free Minerals Statement
Date: Sept 28, 2023
This is an official statement of Henkel Corporation and its U.S. affiliates and subsidiaries.
Ref: Inquiries on - Conflict Metals or Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in 2010: Section 1502 - Conflict Minerals (“Dodd-Frank Act”).
Henkel undertakes due diligence to attempt to determine if any of the minerals contained in the raw materials we source for our products directly or indirectly finance or benefit armed groups. Federal law defines (i) columbite-tantalite, also known as coltan (the metal ore from which tantalum is extracted); cassiterite (the metal ore from which tin is extracted); gold; wolframite (the metal ore from which tungsten is extracted); or their derivatives; or (ii) any other mineral or its derivatives determined by the U.S. Secretary of State to be financing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or an adjoining country (collectively known as the “Covered Countries”) as conflict minerals.
Henkel carries out appropriate supply chain due diligence, in line with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas, to make this determination. As part of its process, Henkel is using the Conflict Minerals Reporting Template (CMRT) developed by the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) to obtain direct confirmation from its suppliers that minerals contained in raw materials we purchase for our products do not support armed groups in the Covered Countries and suppliers must also make a declaration that their full supply chain has been duly examined to confirm this. Within the RMI process, third party auditors are engaged to conduct audits to confirm that the RMI requirements are met.
We can confirm that at this time there is no indication that any products we manufacture contain minerals that directly or indirectly finance or benefit armed groups in the Covered Countries.
We also understand the livelihoods of many people are dependent upon the safe and legitimate extraction of these minerals. Against this background, we do not intend to ban or cease the use of these minerals, provided it can be demonstrated that they do not originate from sources that directly or indirectly finance or benefit armed groups.
See also Henkel’s disclosures relating to the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010.