Volvo Cars will become the first carmaker to blockchain technology in order to globally trace the cobalt used in its batteries.
“We have always been committed to an ethical supply chain for our raw materials,” said Martina Buchhauser, head of procurement at Volvo Cars. “With blockchain technology, we can take the next step towards ensuring full traceability of our supply chain and minimising any related risks, in close collaboration with our suppliers.”
Traceability of raw materials used in the production of lithium-ion batteries, such as cobalt, is one of the main sustainability challenges faced by carmakers. Volvo Cars is committed to full traceability, ensuring that customers can drive electrified Volvos knowing the material for the batteries has been sourced responsibly.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) provides detailed recommendations to help companies respect human rights and avoid contributing to conflict through their mineral purchasing decisions and practices. The OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas is global in scope and applies to all mineral supply chains.
Blockchain technology, which establishes a transparent and reliable shared data network, significantly boosts transparency of the raw material supply chain as the information about the material’s origin cannot be changed undetected.
Volvo Cars have now reached an agreement with its two global battery suppliers, CATL of China and LG Chem of South Korea, and leading global blockchain technology firms to implement traceability of cobalt starting this year.
Technology firms Circulor and Oracle operate the blockchain technology across CATL’s supply chain following a successful pilot earlier this summer, while the Responsible Sourcing Blockchain Network (RSBN), together with responsible sourcing specialists RCS Global and IBM, is rolling out the technology in LG Chem’s supply chain.
In this particular case, data in the blockchain include the cobalt’s origin, attributes such as weight and size, the chain of custody and information establishing that participants’ behavior is consistent with OECD supply chain guidelines*. This approach helps create trust between participants along a supply chain.
Volvo Cars last month launched the XC40 Recharge, the first of an upcoming family of fully electric cars under the Recharge banner. By 2025, it expects half of its global sales to consist of fully electric cars, with the rest hybrids.
Last month, Volvo Cars also launched an ambitious climate plan, which includes a radical reduction of carbon emissions by 40 percent per vehicle by 2025, as well as a continued commitment to ethical business across its entire operations and supply chain.
CATL and LG Chem are renowned battery manufacturers, both with long and successful track records supplying lithium-ion batteries to the global automotive industry. They fulfil Volvo Cars’ strict sourcing guidelines in terms of technology leadership, responsible supply chains, reduction of carbon emissions and competitive cost models.
The agreements between Volvo Cars, CATL and LG Chem cover the supply of batteries over the coming decade for next-generation Volvo and Polestar models, including the XC40 Recharge.
- Volvo Cars to implement blockchain traceability of cobalt used in electric car batteries – November 6, 2019
- EU-Funded Acceleration Project, LEDGER, Offering Support Services and Up to €200k Equity-Free for Blockchain Data Governance Projects – November 6, 2019
- Global Financial System Regulators – the Financial Action Task Force – Issue Draft Guidance on Digital Identity – November 5, 2019
- David Chaum Releases XX Alpha Messenger Promising Unprecedented User Privacy – November 5, 2019
- Æternity Blockchain Developers Plan to Take On Ethereum With Final Hardfork – Handing over Governance to the Community – November 5, 2019
- Researchers Claim Cross-border B2B Blockchain Transactions set to Explode to $4.4 Trillion by 2024 – November 5, 2019
- Global Companies Unite to Unveil Comprehensive Framework for Tokenization – It’s About Time – November 5, 2019
- Microsoft Kicks Off Enterprise-ready Crypto Token Platform On Azure – Predicts Tokenization Is A Pillar Of The Coming Revolution In Multi-Party Applications That Blockchain Technology Ushered In – November 5, 2019
- Polish-British Blockchain Company Billon to Digitise Euro in Deal with Raiffeisen Bank International – November 5, 2019
- 500.com Limited Releases Intel on Blockchain Technology for China’s Lottery Industry – November 4, 2019
- Oxfam, Etherisc, and Aon Find Success with First Blockchain-Based Agricultural Insurance Policies for Smallholder Farmers in Sri Lanka – November 4, 2019
- Interview: Brock Pierce and Two Prime’s Alexander S. Blum – November 4, 2019
- Samsung Bullish on Blockchain – Pushing for Developers on New Samsung Blockchain Platform SDK – November 1, 2019
- Busted: SEC and CFTC Nail First Global Credit – a Swiss Security-Based Bitcoin Swaps Dealer That Allegedly Aimed at American Investors – November 1, 2019
- Zilliqa and Oxford Women in Computer Science Society Join to Bring Diversity to Blockchain Sector – November 1, 2019
- VeganNation Add Brazilian Football Superstar Cafu to It’s Advisory Board – October 31, 2019
- Alliance Investments Announces Plans Tokenization of £500m in UK Real Estate in STOs – October 31, 2019
- Blockchain Gaming Project Immutable Sells out US$6.2 Million Genesis Sale – October 31, 2019
- Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey Backs ICO Exchange Platform Coinlist – October 30, 2019
- Mastercard Teams Up With Envisible to bring Traceability to Food Supply Chain in Topco Stores – October 30, 2019
Also published on Medium.
