• Responsible Minerals Sourcing Policy and Principles
• Responsible Minerals Sourcing Initiatives

It is known that profits from the extraction and sale of minerals such as tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold (3TG) in conflict-affected areas such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and adjoining countries are sometimes used as a source of funding for armed groups and anti-government forces carrying out atrocities and human rights abuses. Furthermore, cobalt mines in the southeastern part of the DRC are associated with violations of indigenous land rights, frequent mining-related accidents, deterioration of the surrounding living environment, and low-wage labor. Moreover, these mines are known to be breeding grounds for child labor. Epson recognizes that mineral mining and trade carry social and environmental risks.

It is Epson's corporate policy to avoid engaging in any form of human rights abuses or environmental destruction. Epson does not tolerate human rights abuses in the procurement of minerals used in Epson products. We will not build relationships with parties that engage in human rights abuses, nor will we support operations that result in the degradation of socioeconomic and environmental conditions.

Epson's management team recognizes that responsible sourcing of minerals is a societal issue that needs to be addressed. We have thus set forth actions related to responsible minerals sourcing in Principles of Corporate Behavior. Additionally, Epson is a member of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) and the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) and supports their respective missions and initiatives.

As mentioned above, we will work towards realizing responsible minerals sourcing by establishing a system for responsible minerals sourcing, participating in initiatives, and obtaining the cooperation of our suppliers. 

To responsibly source minerals used in Epson products, our program follows a five-step framework according to the Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas issued by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

(1) Policies

Epson recognizes that the responsible sourcing of minerals is an important societal issue that it should address. Principles of Corporate Behavior, our top-level corporate code of conduct, describes the values and principles that Epson expects all officers and employees to embrace and demonstrate based on the Management Philosophy. It calls for the creation of an investigative system as a matter of company policy. Principles of Corporate Behavior is periodically reviewed to reflect social expectations and other factors. Revisions are approved by resolution of the board of directors. Policies and results are discussed and reported at meetings of the Management Strategy Council, a corporate management meeting that includes members of the board of directors.

Principles of Corporate Behavior, Principle 5: Ensuring effective governance and compliance We institute effective corporate governance and internal controls, and we observe laws, regulations, and other rules and maintain the highest ethics in all activities. 5.7 We will establish a system to investigate the source of minerals used in our products and supply chain and will take actions to responsibly source minerals to avoid using any minerals that could be involved in human rights abuses, conflicts or environmental degradation.

(2) Minerals Survey Program

The Epson Group Responsible Minerals Survey Standard was established as a procedure for investigating mineral sourcing. It applies and is being used across the entire Epson Group. This standard conforms with the Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas issued by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD Due Diligence Guidance”). The survey program covers all parts and materials remaining in Epson products. The surveys are conducted using the Conflict Minerals Reporting Template (CMRT_3TG) and the Extended Minerals Reporting Template (EMRT) for other minerals, including cobalt and mica, provided by the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI). They enable us to identify upstream smelters and refiners of target minerals (tantalum, tin, tungsten, gold, and cobalt) with the cooperation of direct material suppliers. We also check the country of origin by obtaining answers about the supply chain.

We ask our suppliers to source minerals only from conflict-free smelters and refiners (CFS) that have been certified either under the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP) -a program that verifies that the management systems and procurement activities of smelters and refiners conform to RMI standards- or under the schemes of organizations mutually recognized by the RMI. If suppliers indicate that they are unable to determine whether the source smelter is a CFS, Epson tries to avoid or mitigate risk by asking them to do additional checking or to source minerals from a different supplier.
Epson holds supplier conferences for CSR at our manufacturing sites around the world. We use these conferences as well as other opportunities to promote understanding of Epson policies, ask suppliers to improve survey accuracy, and share information about trends involving target minerals. We also endeavor to educate suppliers about survey templates and foster understanding about the surveys. We work in partnership with suppliers to ensure the responsible sourcing of minerals.

(3) Agreements with Suppliers

We ask our suppliers to support our responsible mineral sourcing policies. We also ask them to comply with the Epson Group Supplier Guidelines and the Epson Supplier Code of Conduct (RBA Code of Conduct). In addition, we require our direct material suppliers to provide us with a written pledge to observe the Epson Supplier Code of Conduct (RBA Code of Conduct) and to cooperate with our mineral surveys.

(4) Grievance Mechanism

We have installed supplier reporting systems that our business partners can use to report mineral-related risks.
For suppliers of domestic Japanese Epson Group companies: Link
For suppliers of Epson Group companies outside Japan: Use the reporting channel of that company.  Link (PDF440kb)

(1) Risk identification and assessment

Epson conducts surveys using the reporting templates (CMRT and EMRT) provided by the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI). The surveys are conducted in accordance with the Epson Group Responsible Minerals Survey Standard, which is compliant with OECD Due Diligence Guidance. The CMRT and EMRT allow users to select one of three declaration scopes: (1) Company-wide, (2) Products, or (3) User-Defined. However, Epson asks that suppliers select Product and answer with respect to specific products that are delivered to Epson so that we can surely verify the smelters/refiners of the minerals included in parts and materials used in Epson products. We believe that conducting the survey in this way will enable us to identify where we should mitigate risk and will result in effective due diligence.
Epson uses the certification status of the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP), an RMI program that verifies the absence of risks in smelters and refiners, along with risk information obtained from customers and data on companies subject to trade regulations in various countries, to assess risks. 

(2) Survey Results

In 2025, Epson covered both 3TG (tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold) and cobalt in its survey across all its business operations. We asked 1,045 suppliers to complete the 3TG survey and received 2,976 reporting forms from 1,035 of them (99%). We asked 947 suppliers to complete the cobalt survey and received 2,452 reporting forms from 931 of them (98%). We analyzed suppliers’ answers and provided them with individual feedback based on the results within about a month or two. Suppliers with identified risks were asked to submit a corrective action plan and mitigate those risks.

Examples of identified risks

• There are smelters/refiners that cannot be identified.
• There are smelters/refiners that have not been certified as conforming to RMAP (including smelters in high-risk areas).

3TG Survey Results

¹ Smelters and refiners certified as being conformant by RMI's Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP).
² Smelters and refiners certified as being Active under RMI's Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP).
^* For detailed product-specific information, please contact your local Epson sales company.

3TG survey results (for products and procured parts)

Epson also manages information on the basis of procured parts that are tied to products. The results of the FY2025 survey showed that, on a product basis, only RMI-certified smelters/refiners are used for products such as semiconductors^*. We found that, by component category, around 22,000 (roughly 55%) of the approximately 40,000 parts and materials containing 3TG sourced minerals exclusively from smelters/refiners certified by the RMI or classified as active.

¹ Smelters and refiners certified as being conformant by RMI's Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP).
² Smelters and refiners certified as being active under RMI's Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP).
^* For detailed information on minerals surveys for individual products, please contact your local Epson sales company.

Epson mitigated risk by asking relevant suppliers to address risk identified by the surveys.

Risk management plan

• Explained and proposed possible risk mitigation measures to suppliers.
• Asked suppliers to submit a plan for addressing identified risks.
  

Tracking and monitoring of suppliers' risk mitigation efforts

• Meetings were held with individual suppliers to ascertain whether they have mitigated identified risks in their parts and supply chains.
• The results of surveys from suppliers who were asked to resubmit them were re-analyzed.

Concrete examples of risk mitigation

• We asked suppliers  that were unable to identify smelters/refiners  used for multiple minerals, including gold, to try again. After receiving their resubmitted data, we checked the smelters/refiners  used in components delivered to us.
• Some suppliers of components containing tin were unable to verify whether some smelters/refiners in their supply chains were compliant with RMI standards in terms of their management systems and sourcing practices. We therefore asked them to undergo an RMAP audit or to change their source (or procurement route). As a result, it was found that those smelters/refiners were not used.

Epson considers the responsible sourcing of minerals as an important societal issue that it should address. The understanding and cooperation of our suppliers are essential if we are to achieve this. We are therefore striving to provide our suppliers with information and education as needed.

Throughout the year, we provide the following tools and information to ensure that suppliers have easy access to up-to-date information at all times:

• Excel Check Tool to check a smelter or refiner's RMAP certification information
• RMAP certification renewal information for smelters and refiners

In addition, we analyze the answers of suppliers who complete the surveys and provide them with detailed feedback on the results, indicating what might have been missing and where improvements are needed. The feedback, which is issued on each reporting template, is intended to clearly indicate where a supplier needs to exercise due diligence. 
We also explain the reporting templates and provide individual support for completing them in response to requests from suppliers.

Suppliers are briefed on responsible mineral sourcing when we ask them to complete the survey. We provide ongoing education on global trends in mineral sourcing, Epson’s policies, and OECD due diligence guidance. We also explain how to conduct the survey and how to answer survey questions. In 2025, we held a briefing for the first time for suppliers who were asked to complete the survey.

We hold supplier conferences around the time we ask suppliers to complete the survey. At these conferences, we talk about responsible minerals sourcing, global trends in mineral procurement, Epson's policies, and OECD’s due diligence guidance. We also provide ongoing education on survey methodology and on how to answer survey questions. In 2025, we held a conference for suppliers who would be asked to complete a survey for the first time. Since 2023, Epson has been conducting reviews to ensure that suppliers’ systems and initiatives for responsible mineral sourcing align with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance framework. We had completed reviews of 13 supplier companies by 2025. Through these reviews, we examine suppliers’ survey policies, survey programs, and the processes used to provide answers on surveys submitted to us. When deficiencies or gaps are identified, we request corrective action and provide support. This type of communication with suppliers helps strengthen their internal systems and improve their investigative capabilities.

(1) Epson undergoes RBA Validated Assessment Program (VAP) audits at its manufacturing sites. 
All sites that underwent a VAP audit by 2025 were found to be in conformity with RBA's criteria for the responsible sourcing of minerals (D7 in the RBA Code of Conduct and E3 in the RBA VAP audit standard).

Manufacturing Site	Country	Main Products Manufactured	VAP-E3 Results
PT. Indonesia Epson Industry	Indonesia	Printers	Conformant
PT. Epson Batam	Indonesia	Printers	Conformant
Epson Engineering (Shenzhen) Ltd.	China	Printers Projectors Robots	Conformant
Epson Precision (Philippines), Inc.	Philippines	Printers Projectors	Conformant
Epson Precision (Thailand) Ltd.	Thailand	Device products	Conformant
Epson Precision Suzhou Co., Ltd.	China	Device products	Conformant
Epson Precision Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.	Malaysia	Device products	Conformant

* D7 in the RBA Code of Conduct: Responsible Sourcing of Minerals (overview)
Participants shall adopt a policy and exercise due diligence on the source and chain of custody of the tantalum, tin, tungsten, gold, and cobalt in the products they manufacture to reasonably assure that they are sourced in a way consistent with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas or an equivalent and recognized due diligence framework.
For more information about RBA VAP audits

(2) Epson had an independent, third-party auditing firm conduct a review to verify that Epson's systems and efforts related to responsible sourcing of minerals were in line with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance framework. The audit firm, in a written opinion following the review, stated that it had not found any discrepancy between Epson's efforts, including the conflict minerals survey policy, the survey program and reporting, internal system development, or the implementation of the survey according to the plan and Epson's disclosure of the information on the efforts on Epson's website.

Responsible minerals sourcing is a global issue that we cannot solve alone. We, therefore, support and actively participate in the programs of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI), which was established to address responsible mineral sourcing issues, and of JEITA, a domestic Japanese industry association. We also contribute to RMI's audit fund, believing that it is the responsibility of downstream companies to shoulder the costs of smelter and refiner audits. 
It is through alliances and the activities of industry organizations like these that we are helping to solve mineral sourcing challenges and to improve mineral surveys within the global supply chain.

(Number of participating companies) 50+
(Examples of activities)
・Participation in the RMI and cooperation with other international initiatives such as GeSI
・Understanding and sharing the regulatory situation in each country/region
・Education and awareness-raising for suppliers
・Encouraging audits of smelters and refiners that are not RMI-certified, etc.