On August 22, 2012, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted a final rule to implement reporting and disclosure related to "conflict minerals," as directed by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. The rule requires manufacturers who are SEC filers to disclose whether the products they manufacture or contract to manufacture contain "conflict minerals" that are "necessary to the functionality or production" of those products.

Conflict minerals refer to tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold (commonly referred to as "3TG"), regardless of where they are sourced, processed or sold. The final rule is intended in part to bring greater supply chain transparency to the use of such minerals originating from the Democratic Republic of Congo and adjoining countries in an effort to help end the violent conflict which has been financed, in part, by the exploitation and trade of conflict minerals.

Tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold are essential in the manufacture of a variety of electronic and medical devices and other products, including some of Teleflex's products. Teleflex is committed to instituting procedures and reporting systems, and to conduct the necessary diligence to comply with the final rule.

Specifically, we are:

1. using a documented reasonable due diligence process, which conforms to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chain of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas, and are working closely with our suppliers to determine the presence of 3TG in our supply chain.
2. taking steps to determine the use, country of origin and chain of custody of 3TG minerals in our global product portfolio.
3. committed to improve, over time, the ability to track and trace conflict minerals in our supply chain.

Teleflex sources from numerous suppliers and a large number of our suppliers and their suppliers are private companies or international companies which are not subject to SEC regulations; therefore, Teleflex must rely on the cooperation of its suppliers in the implementation of this policy and in enabling Teleflex to meet its SEC disclosure and reporting obligations on a timely basis. Teleflex expects its suppliers to undertake reasonable due diligence within their supply chains to determine the origin of the conflict minerals contained in materials and products they supply to Teleflex. Further, we expect our suppliers to source conflict minerals used in our supply chain responsibly in an effort to help end the violent conflict in the DRC.

Suppliers and other external parties are encouraged to contact us at conflict.minerals@teleflex.com if they wish to seek guidance on this policy or if they wish to report concerns.

Download the Conflict Mineral Reporting Template (CMRT)