- Overview
- Sustainability Strategy & Goals
- ENVIRONMENTAL
- SOCIAL
- Social overview
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Employee experience
- Community engagement
- Human rights
- Suppliers
- Skilled Trades
- GOVERNANCE
- Governance overview
- Corporate governance
- Be 3M: Corporate Code of Conduct
- Innovation management
- Enterprise risk management
- Stakeholder engagement
- Reporting & policies
Suppliers
We work with suppliers to uphold 3M standards
-
3M expects our suppliers to hold the same bar we set for ourselves around environmental and social governance, including for employment, diversity, community-building, and risk mitigation. We expect our suppliers to be transparent about their related practices and to work with us to transform our shared value chain.
Through our policies, processes, and programs, we continually work with suppliers to minimize negative effects on the community, environment, and natural resources while protecting the health and safety of workers and the public. We’re committed to responsible sourcing and the conservation of natural resources, and we recognize our responsibility to source from suppliers that share those values.
Key impacts
-
Risk assessments
Since 2008, 3M has conducted over 8,600 on-site or self-assessments of prioritized suppliers in higher-risk countries. In 2023, we completed 285 assessments — about 6% of our higher-risk suppliers — in 31 countries, covering every geographic area of the world.
-
Responsible minerals
Beyond 3TG (tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold), 3M’s Responsible Minerals Sourcing program includes cobalt and mica sourcing to support industry expectations, 3M values, and human rights policies. 3M expects our suppliers — and their suppliers — to adopt a similar policy and due diligence management system.
In 2023, we contributed funding to an international development organization’s project to address the root causes of child labor in artisanal and small-scale cobalt mining. Our support of the project’s adolescent apprenticeship program has helped reduce child labor in mining.
-
Forest products sourcing
3M prioritizes timber-based forest products for additional formal expectations because of potential risks around deforestation and habitat loss, Indigenous peoples’ rights, and unsafe labor practices. Our 3M Forest Products Sourcing Policy (PDF, 145.3 KB) sets standards of excellence for our suppliers through all tiers of supply. To support our policy, we partner with Earthworm Foundation, a global nonprofit working to create solutions that serve people and regenerate nature.
We work with our suppliers around the world to map our global forest product supply chain down to the forest source and evaluate conformance with our policies. We use the outputs to assess risk and prioritize areas in our supply chains with potential for transformation projects.
Visit Sustainable Forestry to see our progress reports.
-
Supplier diversity
As an organization committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, 3M prioritizes working with diverse suppliers and small businesses across our sourcing organization. We pursue this in many ways, including through our GAME Changer program, which offers growth, advocacy, mentoring, and education support to diverse suppliers. The program aims to help small, diverse businesses face specific challenges and grow their business.
Read more about our progress
