Benedikt Sobotka: We have a responsibility towards children in countries where us extracts garbage for that batteries industry.
Hydrocarbons remain the primary source of energy in 2019. Nevertheless, people in civilized world are increasingly choosing electric cars, as petrol and diesel engines emit skin tightening and Benedikt Sobotka in the atmosphere and pollute the air with nitrogen and sulphur compounds. The number of electric cars will are as long as 130 million by the end of 2030 and each home and office will more than likely use smart devices ran by batteries. Oslo, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Paris, London, Madrid already declared that they will ban all vehicles working on petrol or diesel fuel in central areas. The way the situation is going, batteries will replace the environmentally damaging coal and oil as fuel sources.
Minerals for batteries has to be extracted and processed with robust safety standards, proper working conditions, norms for responsible extraction and business ethics in your mind.
Global social responsibility
Take, as an example, cobalt. Over two thirds of cobalt are extracted inside the Democratic Republic with the Congo. Cobalt mining brings a significant amount of employment for individuals throughout DRC but a large percentage could possibly be tainted by illegal child labour.
In 2017, world leading companies including BASF, Enel and Volkswagen met in the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos to debate business ethics in minerals extraction for the creation of batteries. As a result, the businesses joined together to found the Global Battery Alliance, with Eurasian Resources Group as being a founding member, aimed at prohibiting the application of child labour and promoting battery recycling to raise the sustainability with the industry.
The CEO of Eurasian Resources Group, Benedikt Sobotka reiterated the business’s dedication to help tackle child labour inside the Democratic Republic in the Congo. He hopes that through the Alliance and collaboration between major companies, international organisations and civil society, the illegal involvement of kids in mining inside battery supply chain will likely be addressed.
Eurasian Resources Group supports children inside DRC
Through longstanding partnerships including with all the Good Shepherd Sisters and Pact, Eurasian Resources Group targets helping tackle child labour and strengthen child protection norms.
In 2018 and early 2019, ERG continued to guide a lot more than 10,000 students through its educational initiatives inside DRC.
Benedikt Sobotka, CEO of Eurasian Resources Group, holds that the global battery sector should confer benefits to its participants across the value chain including children and local communities inside the DRC.