The Conflict Minerals Reporting Template (CMRT) was created by the Responsible Mineral Initiative (RMI) to help companies perform supply chain due diligence by facilitating the disclosure of smelter information. The template is the industry standard for conflict minerals reporting, including reporting for Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, voluntarily corporate social responsibility initiatives or requests for conflict mineral information from customers.
Conflict minerals include tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold (3TGs) originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other conflict affected countries. As conflict mineral regulations expand and evolve, the RMI releases template updates, and in some cases, submissions made using an outdated version of the CMRT are invalid. As of April 2019, the most recent version is the CMRT 5.12.
Whether you are submitting a CMRT in response to regulatory requirements, contractual obligations or to meet sourcing transparency expectations, using the template to collect information on smelters and refiners has become an essential due-diligence activity.
Follow these steps to ensure your CMRT submissions are made correctly.
Are you using the most recent version of the CMRT? Download it now.
Top Three Mistakes to Avoid When Completing Your CMRT
Avoiding common mistakes associated with CMRT submissions allows you to efficiently and accurately facilitate your Conflict Minerals Report. The following are the three most common errors:
1. You Didn’t Include Smelter Information
Any time one or all of the 3TGs are used in a product manufactured or sold by your company, information on the smelter who produced it must be provided. Because smelters are an important pinch point in the supply chain, the CMRT gathers smelter information to help identify the source of origin for materials. Without smelter information, the CMRT cannot provide the source of origin.
2. You Missed Some Information
To be valid, the CMRT must be filled out accurately and completely. Omitting details could invalidate your submission.
3. You Added Too Much Text
Inputting too many characters into a single field could invalidate the CMRT. Be sure to prioritize the information you wish to include and be concise.
Top Three Tips for Completing Your CMRT
Now that you know to avoid the most common mistakes when completing a CMRT, here are three best practices to ensure your submissions are valid.
1. Use Standard File Naming Conventions
Standard file names allow you to stay organized and communicate clearly. Use descriptive titles and designated version numbers, and be sure to avoid using symbols.
2. Be Conscious of Text Length in Cells
You should avoid copying and pasting data, such as your Smelter List, into the cells in the template. The text in each cell should be clear, concise and no more than approximately 255 characters in length.
3. Review Your CMRT
Take the time to review your CMRT before you submit it. Go through each section of the template and look for mistakes of anything you forgot to fill out. Reviewing your CMRT can save you time in the long run and improve the accuracy of your submitted data.
For more information on CMRT best practices, read our blog.
Need more help? Contact our conflict mineral experts for more information and to learn how Assent can help.
