Integrated Business Report: SDG, Tech Companies, and Ethics

This report examines the ethical issues arising from a lawsuit filed against major tech companies (Apple, Google, Microsoft, Dell, and Tesla) regarding child labor in cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The assignment addresses the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to decent work, economic growth, health, and infrastructure. The report summarizes the article, which details the exploitation of children in cobalt mining and the companies' alleged involvement. It then applies systems thinking to analyze the interconnectedness of the supply chain and the responsibilities of the tech companies. The report highlights the devastating consequences of child labor, the companies' alleged negligence, and the need for improved supply chain transparency and ethical practices. The report also discusses the importance of traceability and third-party verification to ensure sustainable cobalt mining operations and prevent human rights abuses, emphasizing the need for safe working conditions, fair pay, and access to healthcare and education for mining communities.

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Introduction
Due to the continual lack of adequate work opportunity, under-consumption and
inadequate investment lead to deterioration of essential social undertakings democratic societies.
SDG aims to enhance sustained economic growth, which requires building such a condition that
provide sequel opportunity for both genders and persuades to have the quality of jobs that
stimulate the economy without harming the environment (van der Velden, 2018).The main
motive of the sustainable development goal is to provide scope for better and decent jobs and
secure the livelihood of people. It enhances to persuade sustained economic growth through
achieving a higher level of productivity backed up by technological innovation. Decent work
integrates into promoting various policies that attract and encourages job creations and
entrepreneurs to take suitable measures in eliminating slavery, forced labor, human trafficking,
and many more. By 2030, this mindset targets the main objective of SDG is to achieve full
productive employment without gender discrimination (Bennett et.al 2018). After recognizing
the inter-relation of health and development, SDG provides a comprehensive, pioneering action
plan for people, prosperity, and the planet for ending an injustice that supports the outcome of
poor health and development. SDG emphasizes to handle the health challenges and the
opportunities which underlie cross-sectoral involvement. SDG aims to reduce the number of
illnesses and deaths from hazardous chemicals, water, soil, and air pollution. Whereas
innovation, infrastructure, and industry are crucial diverse in economic growth and development.
Technological up-gradation is a vital discovery of environmental and economic challenges.
Infrastructure or modernizing an existing infrastructure capable of the potential of tech-savvy
contributes maximum in reducing the environmental disasters and its impacts of risks (Carbo
et.al. 2017). Whereas enhancing flexibility and efficiency in the use of natural resources. SDG

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aims to develop reliable, quality, and sustainable infrastructure, which includes regional
infrastructure that enhances the support of economic development as well as human
development, focusing on equitable and affordable access to all.
Discussion
The article highlights several ethical issues with Apple, Tesla, Google, Dell, and
Microsoft lawsuit that forced child labor. Poverty is the primary reported cause of child labor in
mining communities in the copper-cobalt belt. It also seen that Congolese were forced to run
away after it is linked with the lawsuit, which accused the globally leading tech-savvy company
being involved in the children’s death in cobalt mines in the Republic of Congo (Keenan and
McGreevy, 2019). The first time in history, any tech-savvy companies faced such legal
challenges. The case was filed against the companies by the law firm of international rights
advocates for Human Rights seeks compensation for the damages caused due to forced labor and
reimbursement for negligent supervision, imposing emotional distress and unjust enrichment of
Congolese children (church and crawford, 2018). All the companies involved in this ethical issue
lawsuit are obligated and responsible for sourcing of minerals, includes the sustainability of
human rights of the workers at the global supply chain. The lawsuit accused the companies
involved in assisting and aiding the severe injury and death of Congolese children who were
working in thesupply chain mines of cobalt. Cobalt possesses essential power to recharge lithium
batteries, which is used in various products sold by dell, apple, tesla, and Microsoft every year
(Berwouts and Reyntjens 2019). The extraction of cobalt from the Democratic Republic of
Congo, which is linked with corruption, abusing human rights, child labor, and destruction of the
environment. The families and children who were severely injured during the supply chain of
cobalt mining seek compensation for damages caused. The families proclaimed that children

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were involved in illegal mining activities owned by Glencore mining in the UK (Chu, 2019).
Later the mines were sold to Brussles-based mining traders who further traded cobalt of battery
grade to Tech-savvy companies. The Congolese residence states the details of how children were
involved in mining activities, which leads to extreme poverty as the company used to pay little
for hazardous digging the cobalt rocks using undeveloped tools deep down tunnels. Due to this
dangerous work, many children collapsed in the tunnel and ended up suffering from paralysis or
fatal death. Such impoverished children were seriously neglected and engaged in mining
operations, leading to severe poverty as the company used to pay little for dangerous digging of
cobalt rocks using undeveloped deep-down tunnel methods. Owing and working in these risky
mine sites many children fell into the tunnel and ended up suffering from paralysis or premature
death.
As per the theoretical guidance, Systems thinking is a systemic approach to research that
focuses on how the constituent parts of a system are interrelate and how structures operate over
time and in the sense of larger systems. All the giant tech-savvy companies have specific policies
that declare that child labor to be prohibited in the supply chain. The lawsuit aims to focus on
cobalt sourcing and increased the pressure on the firm to take vigorous action for acquiring the
responsible metal. The companies were alleged by a lawsuit that companies knowingly involved
in DCR mining activities and enhance benefit (Bofane, 2018). Companies provided particular
fundamental support to the mining system in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On contrary to
this theory, in this article of tech savvy company the whole mining sector was utterly dependent
on the children, whereas the workman is engaged with hazardous elementary cobalt mining
activities, which involved tunnel digging. It leads to the massive loss of business and educational
assets by illegal conduct resulting in suffer and pain, forcing child labor against the will of the

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laborer in the horrific situation leading to severe injury or death of the worker (Huyse, and
Verbrugge, 2018). Cobalt is the vital element used in the batteries, whether it be for electric
cars, laptops, or phones, and is found in Congo, which supplies almost half of the world. Among
the thousand children’s in the south-east region are engaged in cobalt mining and digging
activities without having proper protection. The adolescent boys worked under pity conditions of
the ancient period for their partly wage and immense risk to their health, providing the cobalt to
tech-savvy companies. The families of mining workers demand compensation for forced
workforce labor, negligent supervision, emotional distress, and many more. The organization
was to create funds to safeguard the worker by providing appropriate medical benefits to those
children who were injured during mining activities (Cameron, 2017). It is suggested by a lawsuit
that DCR must enhance an independent third party system for verification of the supply chain of
mineral to abolish slavery, cruelty, child labor, and exploitation of humankind. The company
must strive to focus on safe, decent pay and stable working condition and provide healthcare
facility, general wellbeing, and education facility to children. As per system thinking approach
these tech firms define protocols for litigation and their obligations to defend and uphold human
rights. All organizations must improve their efforts to try to more effectively set up the supply
chain to execute to communicate the disclosure process. Organizations ensure that if any
violation of human rights happens, it must be prevented and problems must be resolved on a
serious note of urgency. Systems thinking is a systemic approach to research that focuses on how
the component parts of a system interrelate and how processes operate over time and in the
context of big system. (Wolock and Schlesinger, 2019). The litigant assures that the
investigative team continues to investigate other tech and automotive businesses and expects
more firms to be added to the legal action. It is well-documented that not only are the young

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children who mined cobalt from Defendants forced to work full-time, extremely dangerous
mining jobs at the cost of their education and future; and trigger death. Instead of providing these
children with a small portion of their immense wealth and capital, these corporations do nothing
but continue to benefit from cheap cobalt mined by children have been deprived of their infancy
and well establish life since long time.
Cobalt is a vital component used in mobile batteries, laptops and other gadgets, around
55% of cobalt comes from the DRC, where 40,000 children are estimated to be working in cobalt
mines by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).These poor children have been badly abused and
were involved in mining activities, which leads to extreme poverty as the company used to pay
little for hazardous digging the cobalt rocks using undeveloped tools deep down tunnels. Several
children fell in the tunnel because of this hazardous work, and ended up suffering from paralysis
or premature death (Nalule, 2020). Else way, those who oppose mining in Minnesota were
forced to accept that their stance means that our state will not do its part to minimize the import
of cobalt from countries that use child labor and have weak environmental security. There is no
doubt that electric mobility and energy transition can only be fully sustainable if cobalt and other
precious metals are processed in ways that are socially and environmentally responsible. In the
case of the DRC, this means closer control for both small-scale artisanal and large-scale skilled
mining; both face problems: while artisanal and large-scale skilled mining has upto 20 to 25
percent of cobalt production in the DRC mainly exposed to unsafe working conditions and
human rights abuses, corruption and environmental mismanagement problems are also faced by
the industry (Schüler, et.al, 2016). The lawsuit crucially, trace where the cobalt is extracted and
whether the-ground details on mining conditions clear on –or remain the weakest points in most
schemes.Legitimate shooting at artisanal miners illegally digging into mining concessions, such

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as harassment by armed groups or aggressive compliance, reported security concerns (Kelly,
2020). The effects of human rights abuses of local communities include land rights policies and
forced displacement. Legitimate team continues to investigate other tech and car businesses and
plans to add new firms to the case claiming they are routinely disabled and killed.Best practices
to be implemented in any future supply chain requirements to guarantee sustainability that is At
every phases of any certification program, from initial design to compliance monitoring and
implementation, a diverse panel of industry, government, and NGO members must be involved
(Mori, Sturman and Imbrogiano, 2017). Every comprehensive scheme will concentrate on
regulation and compliance, basis of the traceability tool. It is best achieved by standard,
independent testing procedures and audits, involving independent third parties. Public disclosure
of non-business confidential details should be fortified, as it is necessary to the credibility of a
system and will reduce the chances of corruption. The brief investigationis important for cobalt
mining problems in the DRC. Specifically, it compares many current sustainability requirements
and defines key criteria required to ensure sustainable cobalt mining operations.In addition,
factual evidence indicates that banning child labor or reducing demand from child labour-
intensive sectors may have adverse effects on households and children (Kamiński, 2019.).In the
years and decades ahead, demand for green energy technologies and corresponding demand for
the materials required to develop, transport and install these technologies is expected to increase
dramatically.Because of their strategic position in the manufacture of wind turbines, electric
vehicles (EVs) and energy storage batteries for other gadgets, minerals such as cobalt, lithium
and rare are expected to rise at unprecedented levels.

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Conclusion
Poverty is the principal recorded cause of child labor in the copper-cobalt belt mining
communities. The most commonly mentioned explanation why children work outside the home
is to produce additional household income and they engage themselves in any legal illegal
activities. Security problems were documented by legitimate shooting at artisanal miners
illegally digging on mining concession, such as armed groups abuse or violent law enforcement.
The implications for local populations of human rights violations include land rights laws and
forced displacement. The investigative team of the plaintiffs continues to investigate other tech
and car businesses, and plans to add more firms to the case being routinely mutilated and
destroyed. Claimants claim for forced child labor in contravention of the Trafficking Victims
Defense Reauthorization Act. Plaintiffs are also seeking compensation on the grounds of
common law allegations of unjust enrichment, inadequate supervision and deliberate emotional
harm infliction. SDG is to achieve full productive employment without gender discrimination
which also enhances implementing decent work at various policies that attract and promote job
creation and entrepreneurs to take concrete steps to eradicate unemployment, forced labor, sex
trafficking and many more. A healthy and clean environment is crucial for human wellbeing and
health to live and work properly. Nonetheless, maintaining the DRC's ethical procurement of
cobalt needs much more than policy-makers doing. Industries and governments must now take a
stance in order to highlight and eliminate the problem of child labor and intolerable working
conditions. Sustainable Development Goal boosts sustainable economic growth by achieving a
higher level of productivity driven by technological innovation by enhancement in demand for
green energy technologies and enhancing the demand for the materials required to create,
transport and install these technologies and eliminating child labor, forced labor. Human rights

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seeks redress for the harm caused by forced labor, inadequate monitoring, mental suffering and
unfair enrichment of Congolese children. A litigant seeks compensation on the grounds of
common law allegations of unjust enrichment, inadequate supervision and deliberate emotional
harm infliction.

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