We view our global Supply Chain as an extension of our business.

For this reason, we are committed to ensuring the same responsible business standards and ethical behaviours we practice are upheld by the hundreds of suppliers in our supply chain. IQE is committed to acting professionally, fairly and with integrity in all of our business dealings and relationships.

Our Value Chain

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In our dealings with customers we strive to:

  • Be open and honest about our products and services and communicate with customers all appropriate information they need to make informed decisions;
  • Ensure that any issues or problems are dealt with efficiently, with fairness and in a timely manner;
  • Working closely with customers and potential customers to help us improve the value of the products and services we offer them;
  • Ensuring that we benchmark and evaluate what we do in order to continuously improve products and services in the marketplace.

In our dealings with suppliers we strive to:

  • Identify and select suppliers using fair and reasonable methodologies;
  • Identify and use suppliers who operate to ethical business standards;
  • Work closely with suppliers to help us improve the value of the products and services we offer customers for the benefit of the supply chain.

In order to uphold our high standards of ethical procurement all our supply chain staff are regularly trained in the IQE Code of Business Ethics and Conduct. View our Supplier Code of Conduct.

Human Rights & Anti-Slavery

IQE is committed to respecting the human rights of all those working with or for us. We have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of child or forced labour and we will not do business with anyone who fails to uphold these standards. The UK Modern Slavery Act addresses the role of businesses in preventing modern slavery within their organisations and in their supply chains, and IQE has developed and implemented policies to comply with the requirements of this Act. We have effective enforcement systems and controls in place to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our business or in any of our supply chains. View our Anti-Slavery Statement.

Ethical Procurement

Responsible Sourcing and Avoidance of Conflict Minerals

IQE is committed to ensuring our products do not incorporate conflict minerals, which are minerals smelted into tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold sourced from entities that directly or indirectly finance conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo or adjoining countries. IQE’s dedicated management team with senior executive oversight works to directly engage our supply chain on responsible sourcing practices.

IQE is a member of multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the Responsible Minerals Initiative, which is focused on driving supply chain responsibility and transparency. Through these actions, IQE is meeting and exceeding regulatory, customer and societal expectations and is a critical contributor to the greater industry solution of supporting conflict-free minerals and supply chains.

IQE requires its suppliers to:

  • Perform sufficient due diligence into their respective supply chains to determine whether products sold to us contain tin, tantalum, tungsten or gold, and, if so, whether and to what extent those metals are sourced from conflict-free smelters;
  • Report to IQE the results of such due diligence to enable IQE to comply with its legal obligations and policy goals;
  • Commit to being or becoming "conflict-free" so that any such metals are sourced only from conflict-free smelters.

Use of Rare Earth Metals

IQE does not currently use any Rare Earth Metals for any of its volume production products. Small quantities (less than 1% of total raw material spend) is procured for research and development projects and for such projects a minimum of six months’ supply is available.

Supplier Terms and Conditions

View our Supplier Terms & Conditions