Umicore's Cobalt Responsible Sourcing Framework: Traceability, Due Diligence, and Supply Chain Standards
SHERIDAN, WYOMING - April 13, 2026 - Umicore operates one of the most formalized cobalt responsible sourcing programs in the materials sector, built on a four-step due diligence process that traces every lot of cobalt raw material to the mine level - a standard the company established as an industry first in 2004 when it became the first company globally to exclude artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) cobalt entirely from its supply chain. With more than 65% of global annual cobalt supply originating from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and 15-20% of Congolese cobalt produced by ASM operations, Umicore's framework addresses persistent risks - child labor, human rights abuses, and unsafe working conditions - that remain structurally embedded in the cobalt supply chain.