Unethical Working Conditions

Companies producing products must get their materials from somewhere. Often if they must mine these materials, it’s done in a poor country where they can get away with unethical working conditions. Unethical working conditions are described as exposing workers to hazardous conditions (the mine could collapse, they breathe in toxic chemicals, etc.), Many mining chains use child labor and put these children at risk, also chemicals released from mining cobalt get put into the atmosphere and are eventually absorbed into the soil or water around the mining site. It’s important for companies to prove that their product is or isn’t ethical because companies should be transparent about how their products are made. This would provide protection to both

Apple, in particular, has expressed their concern about child labor being involved in many of the mining chains in the DRC. This puts the company under stress because it’s possible for them to lose business if they don’t fix this issue since child labor is unethical. Other people who are concerned about the factors of unethical mining that include child labor, unsafe working conditions, and pollution include the miners themselves, human rights activists, environmentalists, and the people who live near the mining zone. These people may not be able to directly affect the unethicality of these mining zones but they can still attempt to make a difference. For example, they can protest against the mine, destroy the mining zone by causing it to collapse on itself, or even by preventing miners from mining ores out by stealing equipment or blocking the entrance to the mine. These are all possible consequences mining companies may have to endure if they do not improve the working conditions of their mining chains and prove that their product is obtained ethically. All of these different groups deserve to know how the conditions are within the mines. They should be informed of the effects the chemicals on the environment around the mine as well as how it affects the people working inside of the mine. In an article that was written by the Washington Post it states, “the

These groups include the product consumers and the companies that make the batteries. Both of these groups should be completely aware of where their products and materials are coming from. But most often than not, these groups are in different countries and aren’t directly connected to the mining of the cobalt. Most iPhone batteries are made in China. China is mainly concerned about cheap materials and income. But the employees working in these battery constructing factories are also working in poor conditions so the employees are the part of the company that would be concerned about the conditions that miners are working in. Although the employees of the battery making companies in China likely would not act against the unethical mining of Cobalt out of fear of losing their job, they should still be made aware of where the materials they’re working with are coming from and how they’re being obtained.Although the citizens of China struggle like the people in the DRC to provide income for their family (which leads to them accepting the bad work conditions they’re given), they should still be fully aware of how the company gets their materials. Workplaces should be completely transparent with their employees when it comes to company