Why?

Many public buyers have seen the impact their collaboration with Electronics Watch can have on working conditions in their ICT supply chains. They have suggested extending this collaboration to other sectors.

Getting to "net zero" CO2 emissions is a top priority for public buyers. These efforts include replacing fossil fuel vehicles with low emission vehicles running on renewable batteries. The supply chains for these vehicles overlap with ICT supply chains in the areas of semiconductors and minerals. Electronics Watch's impact model is also applicable.

A Just Transition is necessary. The urgent need to mitigate the climate crisis by moving from a carbon-based economy to a clean energy economy can only work if workers and communities have a voice. Public buyers understand that they can support a Just Transition by independently monitoring their supply chains and and strengthening workers' voices

When?

This programme runs for a period of three years, from April 2022 until the end of 2025.

Who?

Electronics Watch affiliates participating in the programme:

• Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges (APUC), UK
• Barcelona City Council, Spain
• City of Oslo, Norway
• Flemish Agency for Facility Operations, Belgium
• Greater London Authority/Transport for London, UK
• Metropolitan Transport of Barcelona, Spain

Other public sector participants:

• Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BvG) (Berlin Public Transport Corporation), Germany
• Hamburg City Council, Germany
• Hamburger Hochbahn AG (Hamburg Public Transport Corporation), Germany

Monitoring partners:

• Centro de Investigation y Servicio Popular (CISEP), Bolivia
• Economic Rights Institute (ERI), China
• Inkrispena, Indonesia
• Pacific Asia Resource Center (PARC), The Philippines
• Serve the People Association (SPA), Taiwan
• Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW), DR Congo
• Tenaganita, Malaysia

How?

• Worker-driven monitoring of worker rights in the automotive supply chains focusing on minerals, electronics and batteries. Initial locations for monitoring are tin mines in Bolivia, cobalt mines in DR Congo, as well as nickel mines in Indonesia and the Philippines. In Bolivia monitoring of lithium operations is being prepared. Worker-driven monitoring of semiconductor factories will take place in Taiwan, Malaysia and China. Planning for monitoring of battery manufacturing will start later in 2023.
• Public buyer capacity development and support through tools, consulting and networking.
• Industry engagement on factory and mining cases and systemic issues to facilitate remediation.
• Civil society engagement through cooperation with trade unions and civil society organisations.

If your organisation is interested in joining this programme, please contact Rocío Paniagua.