The Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition and Global e-Sustainability Initiative Extractives Workgroup has commissioned RESOLVE, an American non-profit organisation, to map the supply chain for tin (solder), tantalum (capacitors and deposition targets), and cobalt (batteries and magnetic recording media) used in electronics. This project by EICC/GeSi is the result of the pressure by several organisations on the industry to take responsibility for labour and environmental issues connected to the mining of metals used in electronics products.

The Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC) and Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) Extractives Workgroup has commissioned RESOLVE, an American non-profit organisation, to map the supply chain for tin (solder), tantalum (capacitors and deposition targets), and cobalt (batteries and magnetic recording media) used in electronics. This project by EICC/GeSi is the result of the pressure by several organisations including makeITfair on the industry to take responsibility for labour and environmental issues connected to the mining of metals used in electronics products.

While investigating the supply chain RESOLVE will begin to look at codes of conduct now in place (on the part of purchasers and suppliers).

As RESOLVE designs and carries-out the study, input will be sought from companies, associations, NGOs, academics, agencies, and other stakeholders. This input should help RESOLVE to better understand key supply chain dynamics and challenges and take them into account in the project design.

For a start, RESOLVE plans to hold a conference call this month, with the possibility for additional conversations as the study develops.

RESOLVE is contacting civil society organisations to offer input and receive updates as the study progresses. To let RESOLVE know you are interested, sign up to the project website. Additionally, please let RESOLVE know of others who may be interested in providing input into this study.

It is possible that some stakeholders may share information that needs to be treated as confidential. If this is the case, RESOLVE will put in place an appropriate confidentially agreement.

RESOLVE’s stated goal is to balance the need for transparency and information-sharing with the need to maintain confidentiality on information that is sensitive or proprietary. RESOLVE indicates to be committed to transparency with regard to the fundamentals of its research approach and its key findings, and to work hard to maintain communications along the way.

Contact persons at RESOLVE are:
Jennifer Peyser, Senior Mediator
Steve D’Esposito, President              


ABOUT RESOLVE
RESOLVE is an independent non-profit organization founded in 1977, dedicated to helping parties engage in fact-finding, information sharing, dialogue, decision making, solutions discovery, and action on environmental, social and health issues. Jen Peyser will lead the project for RESOLVE, with support from Steve D’Esposito, RESOLVE’s president.