Modern slavery in the device supply chain

How the modern workspace can address exploitation through strategic partnerships
In your travels, you’ve likely heard the term ‘modern slavery’. You might even have a fairly good idea what it means, and how different organisations are attempting to combat it. But you may not be aware of how modern slavery is involved in the creation of your devices — including your laptops, phones, tablets and any other devices that use a rechargeable lithium battery to operate.
At Counterparts, modern slavery is a key focus area of our Corporate Social Responsibility. We understand that human exploitation is a scourge in our industry, and one we’re working to eradicate. In this post, we’ll explain exactly what human slavery is, how it applies to the modern workspace, and steps we’re taking to combat it. Let’s dive in.
What is modern slavery?
First, it’s important to acknowledge that there are different forms of human slavery in operation, including: forced labour, human trafficking, debt bondage, forced marriage and child slavery. The World Economic Forum estimates 25 million individuals are subjected to forced labour — the main form of human slavery — which involves a situation where a person involuntarily performs work or service under the threat of violence or penalty. In some instances, these individuals are underage, receiving a daily wage of less than one US dollar.
In 2019, International Rights Activists filed a lawsuit against several leading tech companies, accusing them of willingly allowing exploitation of children in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The DRC produces more than 60% of the world’s cobalt supply — an essential element required for a lithium battery to charge. The individuals represented in the lawsuit had been engaged in mining for lithium in exploitative and dangerous situations.
How does exploitation impact the device supply chain in the modern workspace?
Slavery exists in all stages of the device supply chain — from sourcing materials to manufacturing to shipping. As mentioned, tech companies in 2022 have a substantial need for cobalt in order to continue their production. And, since COVID-19 and the increased move to a hybrid workspace, there has never been more demand for fast device production.
Independent organisations like Know The Chain assess ICT companies regularly to provide businesses with transparent information about their first, second and lower third-tier suppliers and the recruitment fees paid to supply chain workers. This information provides companies with information that helps them to operate more transparently and responsibly by allowing them to be selective about their suppliers and strategic partnerships.
Choosing to partner with companies that are actively combating modern slavery
As a part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, we are committed to respecting and supporting the dignity, wellbeing and human rights of those we engage with through our supply chain. This means we only choose to partner with ethical suppliers, and expect their support in the identification of modern slavery risks throughout our supply chain.
As a proud HP Gold Partner, we are pleased with the steps that HP has taken to combat modern slavery. While we acknowledge that eradicating this problem will require ongoing due diligence, at present, HP has identified the most significant risks for modern slavery and has put in place risk detection measures in order to prevent exploitation before it has the chance to occur. You can read their Modern Slavery Transparency Statement here.
HP’s commitment to eradicating modern slavery is one part of their overall commitment to promoting and respecting human rights, social justice and racial and gender equity across their ecosystem. As a part of this commitment, they have clear and transparent goals, which include:
  • Reach 1 million workers through worker empowerment programs by 2030.
  • Assure respect for labour-related human rights for 100% of their key contracted manufacturing suppliers and higher risk, next-tier suppliers by 2030.
Since implementing these goals in 2015, HP has seen a 114% increase in factory participation in HP’s supply chain sustainability programs. In addition, they saw 37,000 workers reached through capacity-building programs in 2021. Finally, 95% of suppliers representing HP’s total production supplier spend have gone through a social and environmental assessment. As a result, HP was ranked 98/100 for commitment and governance to eradicate forced labour from their supply chains by Know the Chain in 2021.
This commitment aligns strongly with the principles of Counterparts’ mission and philosophy. Working to end modern slavery in the device supply chain is a crucial step towards achieving our mission. If you’d like to learn more about our approach to selecting strategic partners at Counterparts, we’d love to hear from you. Counterparts Technology continues to work hard to supply a diverse range of high-quality hardware and software to our clients, such as the full range of HP devices with Intel®. 
Please contact Counterparts Technology so we can learn more about your workspace needs, and how we can support you.
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