Sometimes your influence reaches further than you think....

The Democratic Republic of Congo is emerging from one of the world’s worst conflicts. Rebel groups funded their occupation of Eastern DRC by exploiting natural minerals. Although the country is rich in minerals, most people never benefit from its wealth.

Mineral mining has contributed to conflict in the region. A recent study by FinnWatch in the North Kivu area reported that warring military groups, committing serious human rights offences, control mines or force independent, artisanal miners to pay them taxes for the minerals they acquire. A series of middle men profit from the miners’ dangerous work by selling the cassiterite (tin ore) to large trading companies. This metal is then sold to tin producers, and on to solder manufacturers, finally reaching electronics companies who use the metal in phones, computers and MP3 players.

Throughout global supply chains various parties involved tend to be disconnected from each others’ working conditions and realities. In a recent questionnaire, electronics companies said that they ‘hoped’ their suppliers conducted business ethically, but had no real way of knowing where the metals in their products were mined.1 This story of disconnectedness characterises consumers, companies and their supply chains. While companies believe miners to be ‘beyond their sphere of influence,’ they provide a market for metals acquired at an extremely high human and environmental cost.

While there are no regulations in place requiring companies to be accountable, careful and transparent, similar situations are allowed to continue in all areas of business. It is vital that we act now to put human and environmental welfare at the centre of business decisions and practices across Europe.

Act now to make an impact on European Law...