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Cobalt mines and iphones9/1/2023 ![]() Speaking to Sky News, a Huayou spokesperson said the firm "pays attention" to child labour issues and was "monitoring" its supply chain. If our suppliers are unable or unwilling to meet our standards then we suspend or terminate business with them." ![]() ![]() "We know our work is never done, and we will continue to drive our standards deep in our supply chain. "Governments must put an end to this lack of transparency, which allows companies to profit from misery.Image: Chinese dealers don't ask where the cobalt comes from or who has worked to extract itĪnd it has been reported that Donald Trump is set to issue a new executive order that would reverse regulatory controls designed to prevent US companies profiting from "conflict minerals" mined in the DRC and neighbouring countries.Ī number of tech and automotive firms Sky News contacted said they would review their protocols, but would rather improve conditions than make a clean break from established supply chains.Īpple, whose response referenced the specific mine in our report, said it told one of its smelters, Huayou Cobalt, to suspend sourcing from artisanal mines.īut it said it would not sever all ties with artisanal mines as that "would be harmful to communities who rely on this mining for their income".Īn Apple spokesperson added: "Apple is deeply committed to the responsible sourcing of materials for our products and we've led the industry in establishing the strictest standards for our suppliers. Sebastian Meyer/Getty Images Several US tech companies are being accused of benefiting from cobalt thats mined by. Elle sappuie sur le cobalt, un minerai hautement stratégique nécessaire aux batteries. A miner fills a bag with cobalt at a mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo. "Without laws that require companies to check and publicly disclose information about where they source minerals and their suppliers, companies can continue to benefit from human rights abuses," Dummett said. Face à la crise climatique, la voiture électrique porte la promesse d’une transition écologique propre. "We have not traced the cobalt used in Microsoft products through our supply chain to the smelter level due to the complexity and resources required," the company said in a statement.Īmnesty criticized nondisclosure agreements that allowed suppliers to shield the origins of minerals used in products from the prying eyes of multinationals, saying they let companies off the hook too easily. Microsoft too said that despite the "stringent practices" it used to eliminate child labor from its supply chain, it could not say with "absolute assurance" that its cobalt had not originated in the mines in question. We will continue the assessment and pay close attention to this matter." "So far, we could not find obvious results that our products contain the cobalt originated from Katanga in the Democratic Republic of Congo. "With respect to cobalt supply chain and human rights abuses mentioned in your letter, we take this issue seriously and have been conducting a fact-finding process," Sony said. Ultimately, no part of the supply chain is immune from scrutiny. ![]() Apple has come under fire in the past for poor working conditions at the Foxconn plant in China where iPhones are made. And that kind of accusation can hurt big-name brands, as Nike learned with its child-labor problem in the 1990s. Amnesty's report, however, suggests their efforts to eliminate poor practices haven't gone far enough. "It is high time the big brands took some responsibility for the mining of the raw materials that make their lucrative products." The full list of companies under fire in the report also includes Microsoft, LG Chem, Huawei, Dell, HP, ZTE, Vodafone and Daimler.Īpple, Samsung and Sony said they have a zero-tolerance policy toward child labor and conduct what they believe are rigorous and frequent checks on suppliers.įierce competition in the international electronics market has led brands to rely on manufacturers, components and raw materials from every part of the globe. "Millions of people enjoy the benefits of new technologies but rarely ask how they are made," said Mark Dummett, business and human rights researcher at Amnesty, in a press release.
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