16 March 2010 - Documentary The Hidden Costs of your Mobile Phone
Want to know more about the consequences of the mobile phone boom in India and discover what you can do? Watch this documentary.
28 January 2010 - Platinum under our feet
New photo booklet gives a strong impression on communities affected by platinum and palladium mining.
17 December 2009 - Important improvements at mobile phone charger manufacturer in Shenzhen
One of every two mobile phones is manufactured in China. In 2008, makeITfair published a report about poor working conditions at factories that mobile phone companies source from. One year later, two of the factories (supplying chargers to Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and LG) have been re-examined. Since makeITfair’s first report was released, important improvements have been experienced by workers, improvements such as the provision of adequate protection gear and health and safety training. However, important issues remain, including excessive working hours and medical tests before hiring.
15 December 2009 - New article: ‘On the move. The electronics industry in Central and Eastern Europe’
When centrally controlled economic systems collapsed and the markets of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) opened up to foreign capital, most of the world’s biggest electronics companies started to invest in the region. How did this affect workers in the CEE? And how can we make the companies act responsibly towards their workers?
31 October 2009 - Sign petition to Nokia
Nokia is asked to become the trailblazer in developing more ethical mobile phones by the Finnish makeITfair campaign. The petition has over 5,000 signatures already, but there is still time to add yours before it is handed over to Nokia on 13 November.
30 September 2009 - makeITfair response to Nokia
Nokia published a response to makeITfair in June on its website.
23 September 2009 - Fair Phones: It's your call
makeITfair releases a new report today that shows that the efforts of European mobile network operators, such as Vodafone and T-Mobile, to improve the social and environmental conditions in the mobile phone supply chain still leaves a lot to desire.
14 July 2009 - Legal and illegal blurred on Indonesia's tin island
In November 2008 FinnWatch visited Indonesia's tin mining centre, Bangka Island, to update the makeITfair report (2007) on social and environmental consequences of tin mining for consumer electronics. FinnWatch witnessed severe environmental destruction, unregulated mining operations and unacceptable working conditions of artisanal miners.
14 July 2009 - 'How do we connect?' makeITfair and GoodElectronics Round Table report
The report of the makeITfair and GoodElectronics may 2009 Round Table is now available on-line.
06 July 2009 - Philippines’ computer industry doesn't keep promises
New makeITfair report: Labour conditions still miserable
04 June 2009 - South African communities speak out: free prior and informed consent!
On April 16th and 17th, the Benchmarks Foundation and SOMO organised a meeting in Polokwane, South Africa, where communities around the large platinum mines of Anglo Platinum and others formulated their common demand; “free, prior and informed consent in a fair process and sharing benefits where there is agreement”.
14 May 2009 - Thousands of consumers call for fair mobile phones
On the occasion of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day on May 17, makeITfair hands over thousands of signatories which will put pressure on mobile phone companies across Europe to pay greater attention to fair labour standards.
06 May 2009 - makeITfair & GoodElectronics round table for the electronics industry and civil society organisations
Improving Labour Standards in the Global Electronics Industry - Defining Strategies that Work
02 April 2009 - Campaign organisations demand: Nokia to lead the way in ethical consumer electronics
Nokia is encouraged to lead the way in improving the conditions in its supply chain in a new campaign launched today by three Finnish organisations.
13 March 2009 - Playing with Labour Rights
The latest makeITfair report 'Playing with Labour Rights' looks into the working conditions at portable music players and mp3 players manufacturing in China.
05 March 2009 - Latest update of company responses to the makeITfair List of Principles
In 2007, makeITfair asked the companies to take responsibility for their supply chain and will continue to provide regular updates on the initiatives and actions taken by the electronics companies
03 March 2009 - ‘Green’ IT? Energy efficiency is just the beginning
makeITfair calls for ‘green’ IT products at CeBIT, the annual trade show for information and telecommunications technology
24 February 2009 - makeITfair Youth Round Table
The makeITfair Youth Round Table will be held from 13-15 March 2009 in Amsterdam (the Netherlands).
24 February 2009 - New campaign activities in Finland
makeITfair is entering a new exciting phase in Finland; many activities from April until autumn
29 January 2009 - Free makeITfair webquest for students
With our specially-designed webquest, makeITfair challenges students to start their own mobile phone shop.
18 November 2008 - Electronics industry takes next step towards sustainable metals
This week, the electronics industry shows its commitment to address issues with the mining of their metals, and takes makeITfair’s recommendations one step forward. On November 19th, the electronics industry will organize a ‘Stakeholder Engagement Session’ in Washington D.C.
18 November 2008 - Breakthrough in GoodElectronics urgent appeal case
Thursday November 13, 2008, a meeting took place in the ongoing negotiations between labour union EEALU, representatives of Hoya Glass Disk (Thailand) and officials of the Thai Ministry of Labour in Lamphun province. This time with a very positive result: an agreement was signed between the labour union and the company.
23 September 2008 - Workers silenced while we talk
New report reveals severe violations of workers’ rights in Asian mobile phone factories
07 July 2008 - Electronics companies address issues in the mining industry
July 7, 2008 One year into its campaign, makeITfair receives promising commitments from the electronics industry. The campaign urges companies to translate these commitments into concrete actions.
14 April 2008 - Death threats against human rights defenders in DR Kongo
please take action - Prince Kumwamba human rights defender who has done reserch for makeITfair, and Georges Kapiamba, lawyer and human rights defender, have received several threats, including death threats, related to their human rights work since the evening of 3 April.
04 March 2008 - IT must become green and fair
Campaigners are protesting at the opening of the ‘GreenIT’ conference at the CeBIT IT fair in Hannover. For Human Rights, Labour Rights and environmental protection in the global IT industry.
21 February 2008 - Making IT fair in Poland
A research focusing on electronic industry in Poland shows that improvements of working conditions are very much needed.
19 February 2008 - Electronics giants must take responsibility
Esther de Haan and Tim Steinweg, from Netherlands-based NGO SOMO, take issue with the story published in February about IT companies and metal extraction in Africa
14 January 2008 - Young consumers are willing to pay more for fair electronics
Market research shows European youth wants companies to produce responsible.
18 December 2007 - Tin mined in Congo under poor working conditions ends up in laptops, mobile phones and MP3 players
Many tin mines in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are controlled by armed groups. Some of the tin they mine ends up in circuit boards in our mobile phones, laptops and MP3 players.
04 December 2007 - South Africa's miners union starts safety strike
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's biggest miners' union launched a one-day national strike on Tuesday to protest against deaths in the country's mines, disrupting operations across the world's top producer of platinum and gold.
27 November 2007 - Child labour and human rights abuses behind the latest electronic gadgets
makeITfair reveals: Electronics brands do nothing to improve conditions related to the metals they use.
22 November 2007 - EU targets governments over electronic waste rules
Several European Union countries have failed to turn the bloc's rules on electronic waste into national law and now face legal action from Brussels, the European Commission said on Wednesday.
14 November 2007 - Nairobi e-waste dump threatens lives of hundreds of children
The Nairobi slum where 12-year-old Priscilla grew up abuts one of Africa's largest dumpsites. Now her blood is charged with lead, as electronic waste from the world over piles up unchecked.
