A recent ILO analysis of "just-in-time" production and related procurement practices in the electronics industry reports on research in five countries that found that 80-90% of production workers have only temporary contracts during peak production periods. Flexible and precarious work arrangements are increasingly common in the global electronics industry.  Workers may be employed by a labour broker or third party rather than the factory where they work.  They may have short-term insecure contracts and no long-term job security or social benefits.

Electronics Watch has produced draft guidance to help contractors comply with Electronics Watch related contract clauses and is currently soliciting stakeholder comments from a wide range of public sector procurers, labour rights organisations, companies and industry organisations. Intended for IT suppliers that have contracts with Electronics Watch affiliates, the Guidance defines the concrete, time-bound due diligence steps contractors must take towards complying with labour rights and safety standards in global supply chains, achieving supply chain transparency, and cooperating with Electronics Watch monitors.

Electronics Watch is pleased to announce the affiliation of the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC) in the UK. SUPC is a membership-based buying organization for universities and further education colleges that develops and manages framework agreements. SUPC leads the procurement of servers and storage equipment as well as IT-related parts and accessories for UK higher education institutions and other members.

From Barcelona to London - film screenings of two new human rights documentaries about the electronics industry, workshops, roundtables and much more...

Thirteen Electronics Watch affiliate representatives joined an inspiring two days of events focusing on forced labour in global supply chains at the University of Greenwich in London, December 2016.   The affiliate meeting on day one provided an opportunity for affiliates to meet representatives of Electronics Watch monitoring organisations from four regions of the world, and learn about monitoring methodology and the key issues they are uncovering.  Affiliates and monitors also met the Board of Trustees and shared valuable perspectives on their priorities for Electronics Watch in 2017. On day two, four affiliates were featured as presenters at the Greenwich Symposium on Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking and Human Rights Risks in Global Supply Chains: Roles and Responsibilities of Public Buyers.

Electronics Watch has started 2017 with another exciting milestone, announcing its first full consortium membership, Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges (APUC), the purchasing consortium for Scotland's Universities and Colleges. All of APUC's 44 higher and further educational institutions have become Consortium Affiliates of Electronics Watch through APUC.  This is the first time a whole sector of public bodies in a country has affiliated, and demonstrates the push within the sector in Scotland to achieve a transparent and fair supply chain for the products they purchase.

Electronics Watch is proud to welcome affiliates, Electronics Watch monitoring partners, and advisors to the first annual meeting of affiliates to be hosted at Greenwich University in London on December 7. Participants will also join the Greenwich Symposium on Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking and Human Rights Risks in Global Supply Chains: Roles and Responsibilities of Public Buyers, taking place on the following day.

Electronics Watch has just welcomed the first US affiliate, Ethical Culture Fieldston School (ECFS) in New York. Jeannie Crowley, Director of Technology at ECFS said: "The mission of our school is not the adaptation of the individual to the existing social environment; it is to develop individuals who are competent to change their environment to greater conformity with moral ideals. Through our partnership with the Electronics Watch, we will ensure our technology department meets the ECFS mission by committing to socially responsible procurement. By weaving the risk reports into our ethics and technology curriculum, this partnership will also help our students develop a deeper understanding of the true cost, both environmental and human, of electronic device production."

As Electronics Watch grows, so does our team of dedicated representatives. If you are located in the Netherlands, UK, or Spain and would like to find out more about Electronics Watch affiliation, you can contact these representatives at the email addresses below, and they will be happy to give you a detailed presentation, or answer any specific questions you may have.

The Business, Human Rights and the Environment Research Group (BHRE), the London Universities Purchasing Consortium (LUPC) and Electronics Watch are delighted to announce the next Greenwich Symposium on socially responsible public procurement. This Symposium follows two successful ones in 2014 and 2015 where we explored the challenges and opportunities for public buyers to make a difference in the lives of those producing the products we purchase. This year's symposium focuses on Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking and Human Rights Risks in the Global Supply Chain, and addresses the challenges and opportunities for public procurement to become a transformative tool for the respect and protection of workers.