Feb.15 Free Webinar Offers Expert Insights for Supply Chain Due Diligence in the European Union

Feb 9, 2017 12:10 PM ET

One of the world’s foremost experts on supply chain management, audits and investigations will offer critical insights into improving and sustaining high-performing end-to-end due diligence processes that help companies and suppliers comply with a growing number of regulations in the European Union.

Caspar Fithen, operations director for Martello Risk, will be joined by Alexandria Bennett of Source Intelligence to offer a free webinar on Wednesday, Feb 15 for companies that do business in the European Union: Best Practices for End-to-End Supply Chain Due Diligence. The session begins at 3 p.m. CET (9 a.m. EST, 6 a.m. PST) and will offer tips on how companies can trace materials in their supply chain in order to ensure proactive and efficient compliance with EU regulations.

Ensuring that supply chains can meet the growing regulatory demands of European Union countries is a significant challenge for companies sell to or manufacture in those countries.

Compliance responsibilities up and down the supply chain are steadily increasing for suppliers, importers, manufacturers and distributors. EU countries are requiring that companies and suppliers trace and verify their goods and products meet regulations governing sustainability, anti-corruption, human trafficking and modern-day slavery, conflict minerals as well as restricted substances that could potentially harm the environment and human rights. New regulations continued to be passed in the EU, including the new conflict minerals reporting requirements expected to go into effect by 2018 and new rules on government non-financial reporting.

Through various European Commission actions, there is growing regulatory pressure on suppliers and companies to trace source materials, semi-finished goods and finished products and then submit detailed reports that verify compliance.  Developing comprehensive “end-to-end” due diligence within supply chains empowers companies to reduce their vulnerability to litigation, negative media coverage and disruptions.

The webinar will provide best practices on implementing verification systems for the supply chain engagement process, collecting and analyzing supplier data, and drafting reports that meet European Commission requirements. Mr. Fithen and Ms. Bennett will also answer questions about how to engage in improved supplier oversight and product procurement.

Mr. Fithen has more than 20 years of experience working on the political economy of extractive industries in conflict-affected areas, much of it undertaken in the field. He is an internationally acknowledged expert on the management of natural resources, particularly within the alluvial and artisanal mining sectors. He also is an expert on the establishment, management, and audit of supply chains concerned with both minerals and timber.

To register for the complimentary webinar, click here