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Benedikt Sobotka made a stand against child labour at cobalt mines

Benedikt Sobotka: We have a responsibility towards children in countries where we extracts raw materials for your batteries industry.

Hydrocarbons remain the principle supply of energy in 2019. Nevertheless, people in developed countries are increasingly choosing electric cars, as petrol and diesel engines emit carbon dioxide Benedikt Sobotka to the atmosphere and pollute mid-air with nitrogen and sulphur compounds. The number of electric cars will are 130 million right at the end of 2030 each home and office will probably use smart devices ran by batteries. Oslo, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Paris, London, Madrid already stated that they are going to ban all vehicles taking care of 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 have to be extracted and processed with robust safety standards, proper working conditions, norms for responsible extraction and business ethics at heart.

Global social responsibility

Take, for example, cobalt. Over 2 / 3 of cobalt are extracted inside Democratic Republic of the Congo. Cobalt mining brings a significant amount of employment for those all over DRC but a substantial percentage may be tainted by illegal child labour.

In 2017, world leading companies including BASF, Enel and Volkswagen met at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos to talk about business ethics in minerals extraction for that output of batteries. As a result, the businesses gathered to found the Global Battery Alliance, with Eurasian Resources Group as a founding member, directed at prohibiting the application of child labour and promoting battery recycling to increase the sustainability with the industry.

The CEO of Eurasian Resources Group, Benedikt Sobotka reiterated the business’s resolve for help tackle child labour inside Democratic Republic from the Congo. He hopes that from the Alliance and collaboration between major companies, international organisations and civil society, the illegal involvement of children in mining inside the battery supply chain is going to be addressed.

Eurasian Resources Group supports children within the DRC

Through longstanding partnerships including using the Good Shepherd Sisters and Pact, Eurasian Resources Group is targeted on 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 within the DRC.

Benedikt Sobotka, CEO of Eurasian Resources Group, holds how the global battery sector should confer benefits to its participants across the value chain including children and local communities inside the DRC.

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