Ethical Concerns in Global Commerce: Child Labor and Cobalt Mining

This report examines the issue of child labor in the context of global commerce, focusing on a lawsuit against major tech companies, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, Dell, and Tesla, over the deaths and injuries of Congolese children mining cobalt. The report highlights the unethical practices within the supply chains of these companies, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where child labor is prevalent in cobalt mines. It discusses the exploitation of children, the companies' alleged lack of responsibility, and the impact on human rights and the local communities. The analysis considers the theories of global commerce, emphasizing the importance of ethical sourcing, corporate social responsibility, and the impact of globalization on labor practices. The report also explores the concepts of values and identity, illustrating how societal factors influence the exploitation of vulnerable populations. It concludes by emphasizing the need for ethical business practices and the protection of human rights in global supply chains.

Running head: GLOBAL COMMERCE
GLOBAL COMMERCE
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1GLOBAL COMMERCE
The news article published in ABC news named ‘Apple, Google, Microsoft, Dell,
Tesla sued over deaths of child miners’ By Morgan Winsor has pointed out a very
important factor of the global business trends (Winsor 2019). According to this news,
the international IT firms that are operating in the technology business for long and has
their operations in the different parts of the world are dependent upon accumulated
natural resources mainly the minerals. Now many of the companies while collecting the
natural resources needed for the manufacturing of machines are employing workers
unethically. The companies like Apple, Dell, Google, Microsoft and Tesla are found to
employ child labours in the African centuries (Sturrock & Hodes 2016). These are all
because of this reason that the company does not need to pay as much as money like
they pay the adult workers. Along with this, the costs associated with the company’s
responsibilities regarding the facilities provided to the workers are not needed. This has
led cruel exploitation of the innocent children employed in the dangerous mines in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
These companies like Apple, Dell, Google, Microsoft and Tesla need cobalt in a
huge amount due to the manufacturing of lithium ion batteries for charging the electronic
devices and cars produced by them. Now cobalt can be found in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo and other Congolese provinces in abundance. This is the reason
five US companies like Apple, Dell, Google, Microsoft and Tesla has shifted their
manufacturing units in these regions and employing the children even under 6 years.
These children are being forced to work full time in the extremely dangerous cobalt
mines. This is hampering the human rights regarding their education and proper healthy

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growth and they are even being killed in the sudden tunnel collapse along with the other
mining hazards (Sturrock & Hodes 2016).
These initiatives from the parts of these companies mentioned previously are not
only affecting the population of these countries by being responsible for increasing
children death but also putting pressure on the families. The education and awareness
of these families are low hence these value of these children to the parents are low
(Boersma 2017). They spent few days with the distress of these deaths and injuries
done to their children but keep on producing children to replace the lost earnings.
This issue has shaken the international Human Rights agencies from their root
and they have taken initiative to do everything possible to get justice for this children.
This is an example of extreme abuse of the innocent children at large scale which could
be found in many Asian countries by the manufacturing companies. However the
African countries also come in this category where expectation of the employees are
much common and higher than the developed nations of Europe and America. The
Awareness of this people are so low that these manufacturing companies can take
opportunities and utilise their human resource without even getting permission from
their government. as per the legislation considered by the International Court of Justice
no company can employ the young children in any type of profit making work and here
these companies having International base and reputation are pushing these children
into the hazardous work like mining. Apple, Google, Microsoft, Dell and Tesla all of
these companies have their certain policies claiming that these companies do not
support child labour in their supply chain nor they practice this type of illegal process by
themselves. This is exactly where the problem lies. After this lawsuit against this 5

3GLOBAL COMMERCE
American companies, now the families are seeking compensation for alleged forced
labour practice in Congo and other associated areas.
This is against the corporate social responsibility of the company which has given
extra leverage to these organisations. these organisations claim that the practice of
child labour or any unethical actions do not take place in their organisation because
they have initiated growth for sustainability towards the future however these issues
related to the economic exploitation of the human resource in these African countries in
terms of child labour has been revealed. The research theme along with different
scholars from different universities have investigated this claim and proved that these
five international manufacturers are associated with Economic exploitation and
emotional distress due to the practice of child labour in their supply chain (Boersma
2017). The families of these children were not aware of their rights now compensation
on the basis of unjust enrichment International infliction of emotional distress and
negligent supervision. This children have their inherent, inalienable rights to be
protected from any type of exploitation.
No when the companies are question about this incident they have stated that
child labour is unacceptable and their supply code of conduct does not practice this type
of activity. According to them all the materials are sourced ethically without involving
child labour in the Cobalt mines. They practice responsible Sourcing of minerals in the
high risk and conflict affected areas. The companies are willing to investigate about this
type of allegation so that they can maintain their commitment to responsible Sourcing of
minerals. According to these companies they have never knowingly so lost involuntary
labour child labour or fraudulent recruiting practice and if misconduct is found these will

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be removed from supply chain. According to these companies they have perfect
knowledge of human and employee rights along with the consumer rights and how
these affect international business. As they are global brands with millions of customers
praising them for their products and services do not intend to lose place by any
unethical practice.
According to the theories of global commerce after globalisation different
companies operating usually in one particular market got the opportunity to expand their
business in other overseas markets. It is all about activity of buying and selling at a
large scale this has intensified worldwide economic and social interdependence and
cultural exchange that Foster awareness about the growth of the local as well as the
distant. To globalisation the companies have started to expand themselves by
exchanging assets investment and financial flows payment settlement. The theories of
global commerce have love refers to the fact that Global commerce does not take place
in vacuum therefore it requires exchange of Ideas demand and supply, technological
advancement and most importantly economic equitability. the nature of global
commerce impacts markets, organisations, Institutions, networks, culture and the
people living in that particular market. The Global commerce health supported the idea
of perfect distribution of wealth among people so that facilities and services rich every
house in this world. Depending upon the buying capacity of the customers different
International companies have brought changes in their product development or
differentiated their services so that the get a two way benefit. Firstly the company will be
able to gain popularity through their production services and on the other hand the
customers will get products or services of international quality.

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These companies while initiate business in other countries try to reduce cost so
that they get customer satisfaction and competitive leverage. For this reason many of
the manufacturing companies have started their business in the developing countries
where resources are available and human workforce are abundance. These secure
perfect supply of raw materials and distribution of ready products to the markets. For
example many companies have shifted their manufacturing unit in China because of its
huge and skilled workforce as well as abundant resources needed for company’s
production. The manufacturing unit situated in this country can export the ready product
to the neighbouring markets depending upon the number of customers. In this case
most of these companies depend upon the local supply chain which help these
International brands to get proper raw materials as well as human resources for that
efficient operation is ensured (Sturrock & Hodes 2016, p. 1280). Most of the
international brands try to operate ethically and do not indulge in in an ethical practice in
acquiring resources but in this case the issue of using child labour in in supplying Cobalt
to the manufacturing unit of five International companies like Apple, Dell, Tesla, Google
and Microsoft have been pointed out. These companies have their manufacturing unit
situated in the African countries like Congo and other associated provinces where these
companies get Cobalt in a very cheap price according to the Global commerce theories
the companies gather to those region where they get natural resources in a lower price
so that they can cut cost in production. Now Congolese provinces supply Cobalt from
their mines where child labour is used frequently (Sturrock & Hodes 2016). This
companies have been accused to practice forced child labour in Cobalt mining for cost
cutting in human resource and get the raw material without thinking about human rights

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or emotional distress originated from Dangerous injuries and death of these working
children in these mines.
Similarly according to the theory of values and identity regulate the policies in a
society as well as the other factors associated with its growth (Murray 2016, p. 250).
Identity is the process of identification where the basic cognitive mechanism used by
human to categorise themselves along with their fellows both individually as well as
collectively. It is the fundamental priority to the organisation of human world that clears
what an individual is and who are those in their surroundings. This is a multidimensional
mapping of the human world through which the social and cultural factors are regulated.
Individual identity make sure that the personality behaviour communication process of
the individuals are strong enough to make them stand out in the crowd. It is the
personal identity which pressurises to think for themselves or take interest for achieving
personal goals.
On the other hand the collective identity is the cognitive emotional and moral
connection with the broader community that imply on the practices of the institutions.
This is a conception relating to the shared status and relation which are experienced
distinguishing personal identities. The human society is marked by collective approach
people living in a particular cultural or social framework think collectively and feel
relation with one another. This community may not have interest or support for the
growth of other communities. As the personal identity makes an individual think of
himself only, similarly in collective identity first preference is given to the community or
group.

7GLOBAL COMMERCE
In this case of unethical practice by 5 International companies operating in
Congo provinces relating to child labour has perfectly shown the factors of values and
identity. here the supply chain employed by these companies do not think about the
values of human life therefore employing children in the dangerous mines to get killed or
injured for life. It is the abundance of population that has reduced values of life. In
addition to this the poverty level in these countries have put pressure upon the parents
to allow their children to work in those hazardous mines. However there is no
Complaints against these supply chains from the part of parents or even if these
complaints being issued, are ignored. It is the International justice agencies who have
taken initiative to bring about this issue in public and revealed unethical resourcing of
these companies. Now the Identity of the community has empowered these parents to
raise their voice and get compensate for the loss of life and Limbs of their children while
working in these dangerous mines. The feeling of Unity has been developed where
emotional connection among the people in this community is felt. The absence of
awareness and education and more importantly employment had dominated these
societies. Poverty though connected these hunger stricken people, but could not
empower them only pressurised to compromise. The poverty level has stressed parents
to send their children even under 6 years to work and earn for family. This has marked
the low value of human lives in these underdeveloped countries on which the
international companies are becoming benefitted.

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References:
Boersma, M 2017, Changing approaches to child labour in global supply chains:
Exploring the influence of multi-stakeholder partnerships and the united nations guiding
principles on business and human rights. UNSWLJ, vol. 40, p.1249.
Murray, P 2016. The necessity of money: how Hegel helped Marx surpass Ricardo’s
theory of value. In The Mismeasure of Wealth, pp. 249-276. Brill.
Sturrock, S & Hodes, M 2016, Child labour in low-and middle-income countries and its
consequences for mental health: a systematic literature review of epidemiologic
studies. European child & adolescent psychiatry, vol. 25, no. 12, pp. 1273-1286.
Winsor, M 2019, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Dell, Tesla sued over deaths of child
miners. ABC News.