The complexity of international electronics supply chains is the main reason why fair and sustainable electronics are lagging far behind other sustainable product movements. When we started Syllucid, we knew this was going to be a challenge.
We have integrated conflict-free and responsible tin into the Syllucid Charge
In cooperation with the research group Fairlötet, Stannol has developed the first fair, CO2-neutral solder wire made with responsible, conflict-free tin from a recycled source.
One effect of not paying miners a fair share is environmental destruction. Out of a lack of opportunities and/or as a consequence of forced labour, miners are digging for gold in ecosystems that are already being destroyed on a large scale: tropical rainforests in South America, Africa and Asia.
This is why, next to working with Fairtrade to pay gold miners a fair share, we also partner with the PUR Projet to plant trees in an agroforestry project in the Amazon.
We decided to buy Fairtrade gold for the Syllucid Charge because of how serious the problems in the gold supply are. Buying Fairtrade Gold is the first step of a series of interventions that we are taking to make the gold supply chain for the Syllucid Charge fair and sustainable.
The EU recently voted for promising legislation on supply chain transparency and accountability. If this legislation is adopted by the EU commission it would be amazing news for the environment and people. If adopted, manufacturers would have to take more responsibility for environmental and human rights issues buried in their supply chains.
It is not just the oil, automotive, and agriculture industries that are causing climate change. The electronics industry has a rising impact and creates more destruction than most people realise when they make a purchase. At the moment it is already contributing 1,4% of global emissions and with a growth in demand for these products that will rise in the years to come. But it’s not just the emissions – it is causing other types of environmental damage too. One of the most serious ones is that it contributes to deforestation in the Amazon.
Over the years, as a society, we’ve been making progress on improving the conditions and environmental standards in certain industries. But as consumers, our choices are still limited. We can now buy Fairtrade coffee and chocolate, find locally grown produce, or invest in sustainably produced clothing, but for many other products, there isn’t a sustainable option on the market. This is especially true for electronics.