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Did you know that your mobile phone is made of gold – and thirty other metals too? Without these metals, our mobile phones, laptops and MP3 players just wouldn’t work. Unfortunately, the electronics industry is using up a growing proportion of the world’s precious and rare metals to keep up with our demand for all the latest electronic gadgets!

makeITfair’s researchers have discovered that workers around the world are suffering – and the environment too – while electronics companies line their pockets with gold.

For more information read the latest makeITfair leaflet

Join us by sending this email below to electronics bosses today – asking them to take responsibility for improving the appalling social and environmental conditions in mineral mines around the world!

Dear CEO,

As one of the world’s leading consumer electronics producers, I think that your industry should take responsibility for using a growing proportion of the world’s metals. Many of these metals are mined in developing countries where workers, some as young as seven, face appalling conditions – and the environment is suffering lasting damage.

• Did you know that in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in a region producing cobalt for rechargeable batteries, 50,000 children are estimated to work in mines? They are exposed to mineral dust that damages their lungs.

• Did you know that whole villages in South Africa are being removed without proper compensation by mining companies to make way for mining of platinum that ends up in hard disks for computers?

• Did you know that in Norilsk in Russia, where nickel, cobalt, platinum and palladium are being mined for electronic components, air pollution is so bad that the city’s snow has turned yellow?

• Did you know that tin ore is mined in very unsafe conditions and carried in 50 kg packs on foot through a jungle for two days, often by children, from one of  the richest mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo? This tin is used in electronics solders.

As a consumer I’m very concerned about this and that’s why I’m supporting makeITfair. The makeITfair campaign – involving young people across Europe – is calling on big brand electronics companies like yours to start contributing to change. I would like your company to make sure that your metal suppliers in developing countries are using sustainable mining methods!

Please send me more information about how your company is dealing with these issues and how you plan to address them in the future. 

makeITfair for people everywhere!

Click submit to send this letter to the companies.

Your email will be sent to the bosses of: Acer, Apple, Creative, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, LG Electronics, Logitech, Microsoft, Motorola, Nintendo, Nokia, Packard Bell, Palm Europe, Philips, RIM, Samsung, Sandik, Sony, Sony Ericsson and Toshiba.