Main areas of application: Tungsten carbide is a composite material used in brakes, as well as drilling and milling inserts in industrial machines employed in car production (tungsten)
Minute quantities: Many components contain very small amounts of 3TG. For example, tungsten carbide is used in minute quantities in the brakes, chassis, engine (crankshaft) or wheels (ball joints and mounts)
Raw-material-specific risks.
Human rights abuses in connection with 3TG extraction, transportation or trade
Child and forced labour
Direct or indirect support for non-state armed groups or public or private security forces
Human rights abuses by public or private security forces
Violation of workers’ rights
Discrimination and harassment, including against vulnerable groups
Risks to worker health and safety
Threats to indigenous peoples and communities
Negative environmental impacts
Measures taken by the BMW Group.
Comprehensive regular ESG risk assessment carried out for 3TG supply chains; highest risks identified for material originating from the DR Congo.
Raise awareness among Tier 1 suppliers through direct contact, information and training. The aim is to improve the quality of traceability and steadily increase the percentage of certified smelting plants in the supply chain
Create transparency from the mine to the smelting plant. A systematic supplier survey on the status of conflict minerals conducted through a questionnaire process and an audit of suppliers using the Conflict Minerals Reporting Templates (CMRTs) of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) form the basis for this. This allows certified smelting plants to be identified that are not supplied by “conflict mines”
Increase the percentage of secondary raw material. By using a closed-loop material cycle, the BMW Group has reduced the amount of primary raw material required for tools by 80 percent since 2021. The remaining primary raw material comes from a certified conflict-free smelting plant. We collect old drill and screw bits for recycling at our plants in Germany, then use the secondary raw material obtained from this to make new tools. In addition to reducing consumption of primary raw materials, this also reduces CO2 emissions by up to 60 percent