At RINA’s 2019 Electrical and Electronic Equipment and the Environment Conference, the challenge will be outlined and contextualised while policy and practice will also be under discussion.
Appointed to the new national role of UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner this year, Dame Sara Thornton CBE QPM will set the scene with consideration of transparency in supply chains (or lack of), the pressing issue of modern slavery, the role she serves, and steps businesses can be taking to meet and exceed UK Modern Slavery Act legislative requirements.
The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre’s Rosie Monaghan will give particular attention to the electronics industry in a presentation specific to tackling forced labour in the sector. Rosie speaks for the KnowTheChain initiative, which has been investigating occurrences of forced labour in three industrial sectors – ICT, food and beverages and apparel and footwear – for the last few years. Under the initiative, the practices of many large electronics multinationals have been researched, assessed and benchmarked – something that Rosie will elaborate upon in her talk. Rosie will also explain how companies can do more and so improve practice.
The global sourcing of metals and minerals from areas ravaged by conflict or presenting risks of human rights infringements and political corruption is a multifaceted issue that, in the EU, is now the subject of Regulation (EU) 2017/821. Marten Westrup, Energy and Raw Materials Team Leader at the European Commission’s DG TRADE, will discuss how the EU Regulation has been implemented to date. 2019 has marked various developments – from existing mineral certification schemes beginning to seek recognition under the Regulation to the creation of a so-called transparency platform for downstream companies – and Marten will introduce and advise on these as well as the road ahead.
RINA’s annual conference is a unique opportunity to be updated on all environmental regulatory matters pertaining to electrical and engineering products from consumer electronics through industrial to medical and defence. Our invited speakers represent EU and national policy makers, market surveillance authorities, NGOs, industry leaders and technical experts. The subjects covered include the ethical supply chain (conflict minerals, modern slavery), substance restrictions (REACH, RoHS and their equivalents), sustainability issues (ecodesign, energy labelling, circular economy), end-of-life management (WEEE and batteries), trade (Brexit), export controls and similar requirements globally.
The conference takes place on 13-14 November 2019 at Radisson Blu Edwardian, London Heathrow Airport.
