makeITfair Presentation

May 26th 2008

Peter Pennartz

Tim Steinweg

Story of stuff - Introduction

Quiz - practice round

• What is a High Tech Sweatshop?

– A computer controlled sauna

– An IT factory with bad labour conditions

– A gym with primarily electric treadmills

Tier 1: Extraction

The metals in your computer

Story of Stuff - Extraction

Quiz #1

• How many different metals are used in a mobile phone?

– 10– 20– 30

Quiz #2

• Annie Leonard talks about the destruction of forests due to extraction. In which of these countries does the mining of tin, used in electronics, cause the destruction of forests?

– Indonesia– Russia– Argentina

What is it made of?

• Approximately 65 different elements can be found in electronic products

• 25% of a mobile phone are metals

• Electronics industry is a major consumer of various metals

Where does it come from?

• Metal Major producers listed in descending order– Beryllium: US, China– Cobalt: DRC, Zambia, Australia,

Canada, Russia, Cuba– Gallium: China, Germany, Japan, Ukraine– Palladium: Russia, South Africa, Canada, US– Platinum: South Africa, Russia, Canada, US– Ruthenium: South Africa, Russia, Canada,

Zimbabwe– Tantalum: Australia, Brazil, Mozambique,

Canada, Ethiopia, Rwanda, DRC– Tin: China, Indonesia, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil

/…/ DRC

makeITfair: Focus on three metals

• Platinum Group Metals – used in hard disks, motherboards and LCD screens

• Cobalt – used in batteries and chargers

• Tin – Used in solder for various parts of a laptop

Problems with extraction

• Environmental Destruction

Problems with extraction

• Labour conditions

Problems with extraction

• Social disruption

Who addresses these issues?

• Electronics companies’ initial reaction: cannot do anything about it

• makeITfair’s conference: companies acknowledged responsibility

• NGOs

• Investors

Tier 2: Production

The components of your laptop

Story of stuff - Production

Quiz #3

• What percentage of mobile phones are produced in China?

– 20%– 50%– 80%

Quiz #4

• We identified 10 major brand companies that sell computers to customers. How companies worldwide produce hard disks?

– 7– 70– 700

Who makes your electronics?

• Not the brand companies

• Large Western multinationals with factories in the developing world

• Migrant women from rural China

What are the problems

• Low wages

What are the problems?

• Long working hours

What are the problems?

• Health and safety

What are the problems?

• No trade unions

Who adresses these issues?

• Electronic brands initial reaction: only responsible for first tier suppliers

• makeITfair: responsibility throughout the supply chain

• Limited space for NGOs in China

• Only one trade union, often not very effective

Tier 3 and 4: Distribution and Consumption

The retail and use of electronics

Story of Stuff – Distribution and consumption

Quiz #5

• How do young consumers respond to these stories?

– They acknowledge that they have a responsibility when they purchase an electronic product

– They don’t believe that the brands they buy are made under such conditions

– They are willing to pay up to 10% more for ‘fair trade’ electronics

Quiz #6

• What happens to most electronic products after use by consumers in The Netherlands?

– Are recycled– Are exported to developing countries– End up with regular trash

So what can be done?

• Recycling

• Extended use of products

• Express your concerns to the brand companies

Open quiz question

• Approximately how many mobile phones are sold around the world every minute?

The grand prize

Story of Stuff – The alternative