The AIAG Responsible Materials Conference 2026 takes place on 26 August in Southfield, Michigan, with a virtual option running in parallel. The Automotive Industry Action Group is bringing OEM and supplier compliance teams together for a one-day programme built around conflict minerals reporting, EU raw materials legislation and forced labor due diligence, three areas where automotive procurement teams have faced rising documentation burden through 2026.
AIAG Responsible Materials Conference 2026: Key Details
The event runs 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM ET at AIAG’s Southfield headquarters, with sessions opening on critical minerals supply risk before moving into regulatory and reporting topics through the afternoon.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | 26 August 2026 |
| Location | AIAG, 4400 Town Center, Southfield, Michigan |
| Format | In-person and virtual |
| Organiser | Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) |
| Cost | $0.00 for members and non-members, both formats |
Registration is free for members and non-members alike, but requires a login through the AIAG Responsible Materials Conference official website, where both in-person and virtual passes are listed separately.
What to Expect at the AIAG Responsible Materials Conference 2026
The agenda opens with a session on critical minerals demand, supply risk and regulatory pressure, followed by EU legislative updates from Cindy Vandecasteele of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. Deb Heed of Ford Motor Company leads a session on forced labor compliance and reporting tools, and Chuck LePard of DXC Technology covers circular economy strategy under CEAP.
A tariffs and trade policy session led by Randal Whitlatch of Steptoe & Johnson closes the afternoon programme, building on themes already tracked in CMN’s August 2026 critical minerals market outlook. An OEM and supplier expert panel, moderated by Tolga Yaprak of Vitruvian Consulting, runs midday alongside sessions on CMRT and EMRT template updates from Gavin Wu of the Responsible Business Alliance and Cristina Villegas of The Copper Mark, the latter tied to a new copper reporting standard.
Why the AIAG Responsible Materials Conference 2026 Matters for Critical Minerals
Automotive supply chains run on cobalt, lithium, nickel and rare earths sourced through tiers that most OEMs cannot fully trace without standardised reporting. CMRT and EMRT templates, the reporting formats built by the Responsible Minerals Initiative, remain the mechanism suppliers use to document mineral origin back to smelter and refiner level, and this year’s programme adds a dedicated hands-on session aimed at improving how procurement teams fill them in.
The EU legislative session and the forced labor compliance session both speak to the same pressure: documentation requirements from Brussels and from customer-driven due diligence programmes are converging on the same supply chain data, and AIAG’s session lineup treats them as one reporting problem rather than two separate compliance tracks.
Who Should Attend the AIAG Responsible Materials Conference 2026
The programme targets supply chain sustainability professionals, corporate responsibility teams, and compliance staff at OEMs and Tier 1/Tier 2 suppliers who already use AIAG’s CMRT and EMRT templates or are being asked to adopt them. Legal and trade policy staff tracking tariff exposure will find the closing session directly relevant, and procurement teams new to the reporting templates are the specific audience for the hands-on workshop segment.
Readers tracking nickel supply alongside compliance topics may also want CMN’s coverage of the Critical Minerals Summit Indonesia 2026, running the following month.
Location & Travel Guide
The in-person event runs at AIAG’s Southfield, Michigan headquarters, with The Westin Southfield Detroit listed as the recommended hotel a short distance away. Dress code is business casual. Virtual attendees receive the same session content via livestream, with separate FAQ guidance posted on the registration page for remote participation.
When and where is the AIAG Responsible Materials Conference 2026?
The AIAG Responsible Materials Conference 2026 takes place on 26 August at AIAG’s headquarters in Southfield, Michigan, with a virtual attendance option running in parallel.
Who organises the AIAG Responsible Materials Conference?
The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG), a not-for-profit automotive industry organisation, organises the conference as part of its ongoing responsible materials reporting and training programme.
What topics are covered at the AIAG Responsible Materials Conference 2026?
Sessions cover critical minerals supply risk, EU raw materials legislation, forced labor compliance, CMRT and EMRT reporting template updates, circular economy strategy, tariffs and trade policy, and an OEM/supplier compliance panel.
How do I register for the AIAG Responsible Materials Conference 2026?
Registration is free for both AIAG members and non-members, for either in-person or virtual attendance, and requires logging in through the official AIAG event page.
What other critical minerals events take place around the same period?
The Critical Minerals Summit Indonesia 2026 runs the following month, and CMN maintains ongoing coverage of both events alongside its regular critical minerals market analysis.
