Apple’s attempts at cleaning up its use of conflict minerals appears to be working, based on a new report which claims the company is the “clear leader in supporting a conflict-free minerals trade.”
Published today, Enough Project’s 2017 Conflict Minerals Company Rankings says that Apple, Alphabet, HP, Microsoft and Intel are leading the way in conflict-free sourcing from the Congo, while Walmart, Sears, and Neiman Marcus are ranked as the worst offenders.
The report examines 20 of the world’s largest consumer electronics and jewelry retail companies on their efforts to ensure their products aren’t linked to a range of abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As the report notes:
“Apple emerged as the clear leader with its consistent fulfillment of the rankings criteria indicating that the company has committed substantial resources to developing processes for sourcing minerals from mines that benefit Congolese communities.”
Apple was also praised for finding better ways of addressing incidents within its own supply chain, and with helping “shared centralized platforms for risk assessment that other companies can use.”
The companies which fared worst on the list were seen as, “making little effort to combat the trade in conflict minerals from Congo.”
Potential conflict materials including tungsten, tantalum, and gold are used in a wide range of products, covering everything from wedding rings to smartphones. However, such minerals have also been linked to mass atrocities in eastern Congo due to their role in financing armed groups and state military units, who have committed serious abuses including rape and abductions.
During his time as Apple CEO, Tim Cook has continually pushed the idea that Apple has a social responsibility to act as a “force for good” in the world.
You can read the entire 2017 Conflict Minerals Company Rankings report here.
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
3 responses to “Apple praised for promoting conflict-free minerals trade”
Less iPhones less materials, iPhones that don’t end up in landfill after a year or so helps too.
Apple could really help by stop making stuff at all plus the huge transportation toll from China
Apple does not want people to think about their toll on Earth and society as in dumbing it down, apple one could argue took part in dumbing down a whole generation
This is where Microsoft shines..cloud is efficient, PCs and other devices LAST. They make tools smart people use.
Fücking LOL, you’re completely insane.
Am I???…iOS is so controlled a whole generation has no idea how to troubleshoot or even configure anything plus apple uses stupid names like bionic because they know people at least their customers are sort of dull.
As for the MILLIONS of iPhones they get used and thrown out in landfills and they make them in China and have to ship them over to overspending Americans
Lets just say Apples claims they are environmentally sound are a joke , if they made longer lasting products and did not try to sell phones like a drug dealer perhaps the world would be better off ..not much change year to year is there?