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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
10.11.2005 ET
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Technology Industry Reports Continued Progress in Responsible Supply Chain Management Efforts
Electronic Industry Code of Conduct (EICC) Launches New Website (www.eicc.info) to Support Initiative
(CSRwire) The coalition of technology companies implementing the Electronic
Industry Code of Conduct (EICC) today reported on progress to date it has
made in efforts to develop industry-wide approaches and tools designed to
improve workplace conditions in the industry's global supply chain.
The EICC was launched in the fall of 2004, and the EICC Implementation
Group was created in early 2005, with a goal to collaboratively implement
a common supplier code of conduct for the technology industry. Organizers
share a common vision of creating enhanced social, economic and
environmental conditions for all workers in the technology industry's
supply chain, and making it more efficient for common suppliers to comply
with a single set of agreed high standards. Current Member companies
include: Celestica, Cisco, Dell, Flextronics, Foxconn, HP, IBM, Intel,
Jabil, Lucent, Microsoft, Sanmina SCI, Seagate, Solectron and Sony. The
EICC Implementation Group is facilitated by Business for Social
Responsibility (BSR).
"We believe the adoption of high standards will improve working conditions
for everyone in the technology industry's supply chain. Transparency will
continue to be a driving theme for us as we work together on
implementation tools based on the EICC standard, and dialogue with
stakeholders," said Brad Bennett, representative from Intel Corporation
and Chair of the EICC Implementation Group.
Progress reported to date includes:
Establishment of a partnership with the Global eSustainability
Initiative (GeSI), representing information and communications technology
(ICT) companies in Europe, North America and Asia to develop common
implementation tools for supply chain management;
Creation of the ICT Supplier Self-Assessment Questionnaire, in
partnership with GeSI, that enables suppliers to complete regular
assessments in a common industry format and report results to
customers;
Completion of more than 350 audits of supplier facilities by
individual members to monitor compliance to the EICC standards;
Development of a website (www.eicc.info ) where the EICC,
implementation tools, and progress reports can be found;
Update of the code's content based on input from a wide variety of
stakeholder organizations including faith-based organizations and socially
responsible investment groups;
Creation of a process to manage annual updates of the code based on
periodic dialogue with stakeholders.
"Industry collaboration is the most effective way to raise standards in a
way that avoids 'first-mover disadvantage,'" said Claudia Kruse, Senior
Analyst, Governance & SRI, at F&C Asset Management. "As shareholders with
a major focus on ICT, our aim is to act as a catalyst for the adoption of
standards that are commercially viable while protecting the industry's
legitimacy over the long term. If the industry can maintain the pace it
has set so far on supply chain management, while continuing to engage
stakeholders through the website, we will be on the right track."
Additional tools under development by the EICC Implementation Group in
partnership with GeSI include a risk assessment tool, a common audit
methodology and a web-based platform to facilitate efficient information
flow between participants. These additional tools are scheduled for
completion by early next year. Use of standardized tools will help reduce
audit inefficiencies and clarify performance expectations for suppliers.
Membership in the EICC Implementation Group is open to technology
providers who commit to supporting the shared goals of the
organization.
About EICC Implementation Group
The EICC Implementation Group was formed in early 2005 as a collaborative
effort to develop and deploy a common implementation approach around the
EICC. Members share a common vision of creating better social, economic
and environmental outcomes for the technology industry's supply chain
while making it more efficient for suppliers to align to a single set of
high standards. Member companies include: Celestica, Cisco, Dell,
Flextronics, Foxconn, HP, IBM, Intel, Jabil, Lucent, Microsoft, Sanmina
SCI, Seagate, Solectron and Sony.
The EICC Implementation Group is facilitated by Business for Social
Responsibility (BSR). Founded in 1992, BSR provides advisory and
information services to its member companies, the broader global business
community and other key Corporate Social Responsibility stakeholders.
About GeSI
The Global eSustainability Initiative (GeSI) is a joint initiative of an
international group of Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
service providers and suppliers, with the support of the United Nations
Environment Programme and International Telecommunication Union. GeSI
seeks to contribute to sustainable development in the ICT industry by
taking a leadership role in collaborative exploration and responsible
management of the evolving interfaces among industrial, ecological, and
social systems. Information about GeSI members and ongoing activities can
be found at www.gesi.org. Members include: Alcatel, Bell Canada, BT,
Cisco, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, ETNO, HP, Motorola, O2, Panasonic
Mobile, Telefonica, Vodafone, USTA, Carbon Disclosure Project, E-Square.
Additional members of the GeSI Supply Chain Working Group include
Microsoft and Nokia.
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