Research & Tools

2023 Impact and Finance Report

Nearly four years into the multi-stakeholder initiative, the FCA remains dedicated to improving safety and dignity at cobalt mines, ending child labour, and boosting community resilience. Steadfast in the belief that responsible sourcing starts with taking responsibility, the 2023 Impact and Finance Report transparently documents the local team’s efforts, supported by the international team, in supporting and facilitating positive change at the Kamilombe artisanal cobalt mine site in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Only through collective action can we enable continuous mine site improvements.

The Role of the Dutch Finance Sector in Improving Children’s Rights

Realizing the importance of the finance sector in advancing child rights and pushing for more corporate responsibility to respect human rights and improve children’s rights, Save the Children Netherlands commissioned a follow-up to the initial study – Opportunities for Businesses to Promote Child Rights in Cobalt Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining – to examine how the Dutch finance sector can better support the advancement of child rights and reduction of child labour in the cobalt supply chain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Opportunities for Businesses to Promote Child Rights in Cobalt Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining

Published by Save the Children and authored in collaboration with The Centre for Child Rights and Business – both members of the FCA – this report confirms the extent to which working conditions and insufficient wages in ASM multiply risks for children and youth that already face the reality of poverty: bad living conditions, insufficient healthcare and education, child labour, violence against children as well as a general lack of decent job opportunities. The report sheds light on the current situation of children in cobalt ASM communities and the opportunities for companies to improve child rights.

2022 Impact and Finance Report

Launched in August 2020, the FCA remains committed to ensuring an equitable and inclusive development of the cobalt sector in DR Congo. As international stakeholders in the cobalt sector, we seek to support the local and national government and society to ensure their vision of value retention in the local communities. The DR Congo has a unique and significant role in the critical minerals space, holding many of key minerals needed for the energy transition, controlling over 70% of global cobalt production and holding lithium, graphite and copper reserves, to name but a few.

2021 Impact and Finance Report

As the demand for cobalt rises and our reliance on it becomes more evident, the need to ensure markets have access to reliable and responsible sources strengthens. The goal of the FCA is for the Democratic Republic of the Congo to be known as one such responsible source.

ASM Normative Cobalt Framework

ASM Normative Cobalt Framework In collaboration with the Responsible Cobalt Initiative (RCI) and the Responsible Minerals Initiate (RMI), the FCA has developed a holistic Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), called the ASM Cobalt Normative Framework to establish best practices for structuring engagement and investment. This framework was developed in consultation of cooperatives, local and national government, downstream and midstream companies to ensure the inclusivity of all relevant stakeholders.

The ASM Cobalt Framework Vision

This document sets out our vision and our approach to building the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) Cobalt ESG Management Framework (“ASM Cobalt Framework”) that enables progressive improvements at artisanal cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We strive to make this framework credible and cost-efficient and a catalyst for sustainable development outcomes at the local level.

Research Report: Digging for Change (2020)

Commissioned by the founding members of the FCA, Digging for Change takes stock of the issues around artisanal cobalt mine sites, using the example of two sites specifically: Kasulu and Kamilombe.

The recommendations in the report, compiled by a multi-disciplinary team of experts, laid the foundation for setting up the Fair Cobalt Alliance as it exists today.