SOMO read with interest the article “Extractive industry – NGOs undermining their own cause” published in February. As one of the organisations mentioned SOMO would like to give some background to the article and correct several of the author’s factual mistakes and misleading statements.

SOMO has been involved in research on the platinum group of metals as part of makeITfair, a research and campaigning project conducted by a coalition of European NGOs working on the electronics sector. In this three-year project, SOMO is conducting research on the whole supply chain of consumer electronics such as mobile phones and laptops, from the extractives level to recycling and waste.

The research reports published within this project in the first year focus on several metals, including tin and platinum, of which the electronics industry is a significant purchaser. These metals are part of electronics companies’ supply chain for which they must take responsibility. The reports clearly link the electronics companies to these metals, and at a January 2008 roundtable meeting organised by makeITfair and attended by several electronics companies, suggestions were made as to how electronics consumer brands could extend corporate social responsibility down the supply chain to the extractive industry.

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