Glencore and GEM are committing each other to annual audits under OECD-aligned standards, specifically, the Cobalt Refiner Supply Chain Due Diligence Standard developed by the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI), Responsible Cobalt Initiative (RCI) and Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals and Chemicals Importers and Exporters (CCCMC). This shared commitment will help to demonstrate strong responsible sourcing practices and transparency across multiple points along the supply chain.

The Cobalt Institute, which counts Glencore as one of its members, has developed the Cobalt Industry Responsible Assessment Framework (CIRAF), an industry-wide risk management tool that helps cobalt supply chain players identify production and sourcing related risks. This long-term strategic cobalt partnership includes a commitment to use CIRAF when communicating publicly on environmental and social issues specific to the cobalt supply chain.

Xu, Kai Hua, chairman of GEM, said, “Despite the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the adoption of new energy vehicles is accelerating, and there is no doubt that they are revolutionizing the world’s automobile industry. As a result, cobalt, as one of the key raw materials for EV batteries, will become a global strategic resource of extreme importance for the rapidly growing new energy vehicles market in China and the rest of the world.

“Glencore, the world’s largest producer of responsible cobalt, has maintained strong cooperation with GEM for many years. This 10-year cobalt supply agreement reflects a deepening of the strategic cooperation between cobalt resources and the market in the face of the changing competitive landscape and the booming trend of new energy in the world and will fundamentally stabilize the development of GEM cobalt prodcuts.”