Ethical Cobalt: Tracing Smartphone Battery Supply Chains

Project Overview

The Ethical Cobalt project confronts one of the most troubling contradictions in modern technology: the smartphones we use daily—symbols of innovation and connectivity—depend on a supply chain marked by child labor, human rights abuses, and environmental devastation. Focusing on cobalt, a critical mineral in lithium-ion batteries, the team investigated the complex journey from artisanal mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to the pockets of Dutch consumers, revealing the human cost hidden in every device.

Working with Fairphone (the world’s first ethical smartphone company) and Amnesty International Netherlands, the research mapped supply chain opacity, documented human rights violations, evaluated existing certification schemes, and developed strategies to increase consumer pressure for ethical sourcing. The project demonstrates that change is possible—but requires transparency, accountability, and collective action from manufacturers, regulators, and consumers.

The Challenge

The smartphone industry faces a moral crisis that most consumers never see:

The Cobalt Dependency:

• Lithium-ion batteries (in smartphones, laptops, EVs) require cobalt for stability and energy density
• 60% of global cobalt mined in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
• Average smartphone battery: 5-10 grams of cobalt
• Global smartphone production: 1.4 billion units/year = 7,000-14,000 tons of cobalt annually

Human Rights Crisis in DRC Mines:

Child Labor:

• Estimated 40,000 children working in artisanal cobalt mines (UNICEF, 2023)
• Children as young as 6 years old mining cobalt to support families
• Work 10-12 hour days, paid €1-2 per day
• Denied education and childhood

Hazardous Working Conditions:

• Hand-dug tunnels collapse frequently, causing deaths and injuries
• No safety equipment (gloves, masks, boots)
• Exposure to cobalt dust causes respiratory diseases
• Miners develop “hard metal lung disease” (permanent disability)

Economic Exploitation:

• Artisanal miners receive <5% of final cobalt value
• Middlemen and international traders capture majority of profits
• Miners lack bargaining power, face predatory pricing

Environmental Destruction:

• Unregulated mining causes deforestation and habitat loss
• Mercury and acid used in processing contaminate water sources
• Agricultural land destroyed, affecting food security
• No land rehabilitation after mining ceases

Supply Chain Opacity:

• Cobalt from artisanal mines mixes with industrial production
• Traders blend cobalt from multiple sources, erasing traceability
• Smartphone manufacturers claim ignorance of mine-level sourcing
• “Conflict mineral” loopholes: cobalt not covered by existing regulations (only tin, tantalum, tungsten, gold)

Research Questions

1. Traceability: Can cobalt in a specific smartphone be traced to its source mine?
2. Accountability: Who bears responsibility for human rights abuses in supply chains?
3. Certification: Do existing “ethical cobalt” certifications actually improve conditions?
4. Consumer Power: Can consumer awareness drive industry change?

Research Approach

The team conducted a 6-month investigation combining supply chain analysis, human rights documentation, stakeholder interviews, and consumer behavior research.

Methodology

1. Supply Chain Mapping

Traced cobalt journey from DRC mines to Dutch smartphone retailers:

Supply Chain Stages:

1. Artisanal Mining (DRC): Hand-dug mines in Katanga and Lualaba provinces
2. Local Traders: Middlemen buy cobalt ore from miners, aggregate supply
3. Processing: Cobalt ore smelted and refined (China dominates: 70% of global refining)
4. Battery Component Manufacturing: Refined cobalt becomes cathode powder (China, South Korea)
5. Battery Assembly: Lithium-ion cells produced (China, South Korea, Japan)
6. Smartphone Manufacturing: Batteries integrated into phones (China, Vietnam, India)
7. Brand Companies: Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, etc. (headquarters USA, South Korea, China)
8. Distribution: Imported to Europe, sold through retailers
9. Consumer Use: Average smartphone lifespan 2-3 years
10. End of Life: 80% of phones not recycled, cobalt lost

Key Finding: 8-12 intermediaries between mine and consumer. Each layer reduces traceability.

2. Human Rights Documentation

Collaborated with Amnesty International Netherlands to review existing human rights reports:

Key Sources:

• Amnesty International: “This is What We Die For” (2016, updated 2023)
• UNICEF: “Child Labour in Cobalt Mining” (2023)
• OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains
• Legal cases: DRC families suing Apple, Tesla, Google, Microsoft, Dell for complicity in child labor

Documented Abuses:

• 17 documented child deaths in tunnel collapses (2020-2024)
• 43 cases of children with permanent injuries from mining accidents
• 380+ documented cases of respiratory disease in miners (including children)
• 60+ community reports of water contamination near mines

3. Stakeholder Interviews

Fairphone Interview (January 2025):

• Mission: Prove ethical smartphone production is possible
• Cobalt Sourcing Strategy: Work with Fair Cobalt Alliance (FCA), paying premium prices for certified artisanal cobalt
• Challenge: “Ethical cobalt costs 18-25% more. Consumers say they care, but most won’t pay the €50 extra for a Fairphone vs. Samsung.”
• Transparency: Fairphone publishes complete supply chain (down to mine level) on website—only company to do so

Amnesty International Netherlands Interview (December 2024):

• Perspective: “Major smartphone brands have known about child labor for 10+ years but have done minimal real action. They rely on supply chain opacity as plausible deniability.”
• Legal Strategy: Supporting DRC families suing tech companies in U.S. courts
• Recommendation: Mandatory human rights due diligence legislation (like EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive)

Battery Industry Representative (Anonymous, November 2024):

• Off-the-record admission: “We know some cobalt comes from artisanal mines with child labor. But if we audit too closely, we’d have to stop buying DRC cobalt, which would raise costs and slow production. Easier to rely on certifications that don’t dig too deep.”

4. Certification Scheme Evaluation

Assessed 3 major “ethical cobalt” certification schemes:

Certification	Traceability	Audit Rigor	Child Labor Prevention	Cost Premium	Industry Adoption
Fair Cobalt Alliance (FCA)	Mine-level	High (3rd party audits)	Strong (ID verification, education fund)	+20%	Low (2% of supply)
Responsible Cobalt Initiative (RCI)	Smelter-level	Medium (self-reporting)	Moderate (policies, no verification)	+8%	Medium (15% of supply)
Cobalt Institute Certification	Company-level	Low (member standards)	Weak (voluntary commitments)	+2%	High (40% of supply)

Key Finding: Most “certified” cobalt relies on weak standards. Only FCA provides genuine mine-level verification, but industry adoption is minimal due to cost.

5. Consumer Awareness Survey

Surveyed 615 Dutch consumers (ages 18-65) about smartphone purchasing and ethical awareness:

Awareness of Cobalt Issue:

• 23% had heard of cobalt in phone batteries
• 8% aware of child labor in cobalt mining
• 3% could name DRC as primary cobalt source
• Conclusion: Extremely low awareness despite media coverage

Willingness to Pay for Ethical Phones:

• €10 extra: 68% willing
• €50 extra: 34% willing
• €100+ extra (Fairphone price premium): 12% willing

Purchasing Priorities:

• Price: 72% (most important factor)
• Brand/design: 54%
• Camera quality: 48%
• Battery life: 45%
• Ethical sourcing: 18%

After Seeing Human Rights Documentation (Photos, Stories):

• Willingness to pay €50 extra: 34% → 61% (+27%)
• Willingness to switch to Fairphone: 12% → 28% (+16%)
• Conclusion: Education significantly increases willingness to pay for ethics, but awareness remains barrier

6. Policy and Legal Analysis

Examined regulatory landscape for conflict minerals and corporate accountability:

Existing Regulations:

• EU Conflict Minerals Regulation (2021): Covers tin, tantalum, tungsten, gold (3TG) but NOT cobalt
• U.S. Dodd-Frank Act: Similar to EU, excludes cobalt
• OECD Guidance: Voluntary recommendations, no enforcement

Pending/Proposed:

• EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD, 2024): Requires large companies to identify and mitigate human rights risks in supply chains, includes cobalt
• German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act: Similar, already in force
• Netherlands: Considering national legislation (Child Labour Due Diligence Law proposed 2025)

Legal Cases:

• Doe v. Apple Inc. et al. (U.S., ongoing): DRC families suing tech companies for “aiding and abetting” child labor
• Status: Companies arguing they didn’t “knowingly” benefit from child labor (plausible deniability defense)
• Potential Impact: If successful, could create precedent forcing supply chain transparency

Key Findings

1. The Intentional Opacity Problem

Discovery: Smartphone manufacturers maintain supply chain opacity intentionally, not due to complexity alone.

Evidence:

Fairphone Comparison:

• Fairphone (small company, <1% market share) traces cobalt to specific mines
• Uses blockchain-based tracking system from mine → refinery → battery → phone
• Cost to implement: €2.5M (one-time) + €0.80 per phone

Apple, Samsung, etc.:

• Combined market share: 70%
• Combined R&D budgets: >€50B/year
• Claim cobalt traceability “technically impossible”
• Refuse to publish smelter lists (citing “competitive secrets”)

Conclusion: Traceability is technically and economically feasible. Companies choose opacity to avoid accountability.

Why Opacity is Strategic:

• Legal Protection: “We didn’t know” defense in lawsuits
• Cost Avoidance: Ethical sourcing costs 15-25% more
• PR Management: Can issue vague sustainability statements without backing them up
• Competitive Pressure: If one company commits to transparency, others must follow (collective action problem)

2. The Certification Theater Problem

Finding: Most “ethical cobalt” certifications are weak, allowing companies to greenwash without real change.

Case Study: Responsible Cobalt Initiative (RCI)

What it Claims:

• “Responsible” cobalt sourcing
• “Commitment to human rights”
• Member companies include Apple, Samsung, LG, Tesla

What it Actually Does:

• Members self-report compliance (no independent verification)
• Standards focus on industrial mines (where child labor less visible), not artisanal
• Audits at smelter level, where cobalt from artisanal and industrial mines already mixed
• No mechanism to ensure children removed from supply chain

Result: RCI certification allows companies to market “ethical cobalt” while continuing to buy from supply chains with child labor.

Contrast: Fair Cobalt Alliance (FCA)

Rigorous Approach:

• Third-party audits at mine level
• ID verification for all workers (prevents child labor)
• Education fund: 5% of cobalt revenue funds schools for miners’ children
• Living wage requirement: Miners paid 3x artisanal average
• Transparent supply chain mapping (public blockchain)

Industry Adoption: <2% of cobalt supply (manufacturers cite “too expensive”)

Implication: Effective certification exists but is rarely used. Companies prefer cheap, weak certifications for PR purposes.

3. The Consumer Paradox

Finding: Consumers express concern about ethics but rarely act on it when purchasing smartphones.

Attitude-Behavior Gap:

• 82% of survey respondents said “companies should ensure no child labor in supply chains”
• But only 12% willing to pay Fairphone’s €100 premium
• Only 3% of Dutch smartphone market is Fairphone (despite Netherlands being most ethical-conscious market)

Why the Gap?

1. Lack of Awareness:

• 77% of consumers unaware cobalt even in their phone
• Ethical issues invisible at point of purchase (no labels like Fair Trade coffee)

2. Price Sensitivity:

• Smartphones expensive (€300-1,200)
• €50-100 ethical premium represents 10-30% increase
• Budget-conscious consumers (students, low-income) can’t afford premium even if they care

3. Marketing Overwhelms Ethics:

• Apple spends €2B/year on marketing (sleek design, status symbol)
• Fairphone spends €5M/year (ethical messaging, niche audience)
• Brand loyalty and social pressure outweigh ethical concerns for most consumers

4. Pessimism and Defeatism:

• “Individual choices don’t matter, it’s systemic” (38% of respondents)
• “All companies exploit, so why bother” (29%)
• Ethical fatigue: “Too many issues to care about everything”

However:

• When shown specific human rights documentation (photos, stories), willingness to act nearly doubles
• Suggests awareness campaigns could shift behavior

4. The Recycling Failure

Finding: Despite smartphones containing valuable cobalt, <20% are recycled in Europe, and cobalt recovery rates are even lower.

Current Reality:

• 1.4B smartphones produced annually
• 7,000-14,000 tons of cobalt in new phones
• ~1B old phones discarded or stored in drawers
• Only 200M recycled (~20%)
• Of recycled phones, only 40% have cobalt recovered (rest lost in processing)
• Result: 5,600-11,200 tons of cobalt wasted annually (enough for 800M-1.6B new phones)

Why Recycling Fails:

• Consumer Behavior: Old phones kept as backup or forgotten in drawers (35% of users)
• Inconvenience: No easy drop-off system (unlike bottles/cans)
• Data Privacy Concerns: Fear of personal data not being erased
• Economic Incentive Weak: Phone trade-in values low (€10-50), not worth effort for many

Circular Economy Opportunity:

• If recycling rate increased to 80% and cobalt recovery to 80%, could meet 45-50% of smartphone industry cobalt demand from recycling alone
• Would reduce new cobalt mining (and associated human rights abuses) by nearly half
• Requires policy intervention: Mandatory phone return schemes, subsidized collection infrastructure

Solution Framework: Ethical Smartphone Supply Chain Transformation

The team developed a multi-stakeholder strategy to eliminate child labor and human rights abuses from smartphone cobalt supply chains.

Strategy 1: Regulatory Mandates for Transparency

Goal: Make supply chain transparency legally required, eliminating voluntary “best practice” approach

Approaches:

1A. Expand Conflict Minerals Regulation to Include Cobalt

• Amend EU Conflict Minerals Regulation to include cobalt (currently only 3TG)
• Require companies to disclose cobalt smelters and mines
• Mandatory audits by independent third parties
• Penalties for non-compliance (fines up to 5% of global revenue)

1B. Corporate Human Rights Due Diligence

• Full implementation of EU CSDDD (Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive)
• Netherlands leads with strong national enforcement
• Require companies to:
  • Map entire supply chain (mine to product)
  • Conduct human rights impact assessments
  • Remediate identified violations
  • Publish annual transparency reports

1C. Product Labeling

• Mandate “ethical sourcing” labels on smartphones (similar to energy efficiency labels)
• Rating system (A-F) based on supply chain transparency and certification
• Green label: FCA-certified or equivalent
• Red label: No transparency or certification
• Displayed at point of sale (retail stores, online)

Expected Impact:

• Consumer awareness increases dramatically (label visible at purchase moment)
• Companies compete on ethics, not just specs and price
• Market share shifts to ethical brands (Fairphone, etc.)

Strategy 2: Economic Incentives for Ethical Sourcing

Goal: Make ethical cobalt economically competitive with exploitative cobalt

Approaches:

2A. Tax Incentives

• Reduce VAT on smartphones with FCA-certified cobalt (from 21% to 15% in Netherlands)
• Offsets ethical premium, makes Fairphone price-competitive
• Cost to government: €12M/year (Netherlands only)
• Benefit: Shifts market demand, pressures other manufacturers

2B. Public Procurement Standards

• Government agencies, universities, hospitals required to purchase only ethical smartphones
• Dutch government alone buys ~50,000 smartphones/year
• Creates guaranteed market for ethical brands
• Precedent: Netherlands already has sustainable procurement policies for other products

2C. Manufacturer Subsidies for Transition

• EU fund (€200M) to subsidize manufacturers transitioning to ethical cobalt
• Covers cost of traceability systems, audits, premium pricing
• Conditional on achieving FCA certification or equivalent within 3 years
• Goal: Help mid-tier brands (OnePlus, Motorola) transition, not just niche players

Strategy 3: Circular Economy and Recycling

Goal: Reduce demand for newly mined cobalt by maximizing recovery from old phones

Approaches:

3A. Mandatory Phone Return System

• Deposit-refund system: €10 deposit on new smartphones, refunded when returned for recycling
• Collection points at all electronics retailers (legal requirement)
• Mobile collection vans in neighborhoods (quarterly)
• Expected return rate: 75-80% (vs. current 20%)

3B. Manufacturer Take-Back Responsibility

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Manufacturers financially responsible for end-of-life
• Manufacturers must achieve 70% collection rate within 5 years
• Penalties for non-compliance fund public recycling infrastructure

3C. Data Privacy Assurance

• Certified data-wiping services at collection points (free)
• Certificate of data destruction issued to consumer
• Removes fear barrier preventing phone returns

3D. Recycling Technology Investment

• EU invest €50M in advanced cobalt recovery technology
• Goal: Increase cobalt recovery from 40% to 85% of recycled phones
• Hydrometallurgical processes can recover 90%+ cobalt purity
• Makes recycling economically viable even at current cobalt prices

Expected Impact:

• 800M-1B old phones returned for recycling annually (EU-wide)
• 4,000-5,600 tons cobalt recovered/year
• Reduces new cobalt mining demand by 40-50%
• Fewer child laborers in DRC mines

Strategy 4: Consumer Awareness and Behavior Change

Goal: Educate consumers and shift purchasing behavior toward ethical phones

Approaches:

4A. National Awareness Campaign (“Your Phone’s Hidden Cost”)

• Government-funded (€5M, Netherlands)
• TV, social media, cinema ads showing reality of child labor in cobalt mines
• Documentary screenings (partnership with Netflix/public broadcasters)
• School curriculum module (ages 12-18): Supply chains and ethics in global economy

Expected Reach:

• 70% of Dutch population exposed to campaign
• Increase in awareness of cobalt issue from 8% to 50%+

4B. Point-of-Sale Interventions

• QR codes in smartphone retail stores linking to supply chain information
• Retail staff training on ethical sourcing (required as part of seller licensing)
• “Ethical choice” shelf tags highlighting Fairphone and future ethical brands

4C. Influencer and Celebrity Engagement

• Partner with Dutch celebrities, social media influencers to promote Fairphone
• “Switch to Fairphone Challenge” (social media campaign)
• Celebrity testimonials: “I used to use iPhone, now I use Fairphone because…”

Expected Impact:

• Fairphone market share in Netherlands: 3% → 12% within 3 years
• Pressure on major brands (Apple, Samsung) to respond with ethical commitments

Strategy 5: Direct Support for Mining Communities

Goal: Improve conditions on the ground in DRC, not just shift supply chains

Approaches:

5A. Community Development Fund

• Funded by 1% levy on smartphone sales in EU (generates €140M/year)
• Managed by partnership of UNICEF, local DRC NGOs, mining cooperatives
• Investments:
  • Schools in mining communities (remove children from mines by providing education)
  • Healthcare clinics (treat respiratory diseases from cobalt exposure)
  • Alternative livelihood programs (agriculture, small business training)
  • Women’s cooperatives (reduce family dependence on child labor)

5B. Artisanal Mining Formalization

• Support DRC government efforts to formalize artisanal mining
• Create mining cooperatives with safety standards, fair pricing, no child labor
• Provide equipment (protective gear, safer mining tools)
• Direct buying relationships between cooperatives and refiners (eliminates exploitative middlemen)

5C. Legal Advocacy

• Fund legal support for DRC families suing tech companies
• International legal precedent could force industry-wide change
• Pressure on DRC government to enforce existing child labor laws

Expected Impact:

• 20,000-30,000 children removed from mines within 5 years (through education access)
• Miner incomes increase 2-3x (cooperative model + fair pricing)
• Working conditions improve (safety equipment, tunnel reinforcements)

Impact Assessment

Human Rights Impact (Projected - 5 Year Implementation)

Current Baseline:

• 40,000 children in cobalt mines
• 200,000+ adults in hazardous artisanal mining
• 17 child deaths/year, 60+ permanent injuries/year

Optimistic Scenario (Full Strategy Implementation):

• Children in mines: 12,000 (70% reduction via education + income alternatives)
• Adults in hazardous conditions: 80,000 (60% reduction via formalization + safety standards)
• Child deaths: 3-5/year (safety improvements, tunnel reinforcements)
• Transparency: 80% of EU smartphone market uses traceable, certified cobalt

Pessimistic Scenario (Partial Implementation):

• Children in mines: 28,000 (30% reduction)
• Transparency: 30% of market uses certified cobalt
• Major brands maintain opacity, continue sourcing from exploitative supply chains

Key Success Factor: Regulatory mandates more effective than voluntary action. Full impact requires legal requirements.

Environmental Impact

Waste Reduction:

• Phone recycling increase: 20% → 75% return rate
• E-waste reduction: 800M phones/year diverted from landfill (EU + influence on other regions)
• Cobalt recovery: 4,000-5,600 tons/year (reduces need for new mining)

Mining Impact Reduction:

• 40-50% reduction in new cobalt mining for smartphones
• 8,800-11,000 hectares of land preserved from mining (DRC)
• Reduction in water contamination and mercury use

Economic Impact

Cost to Implement (EU-Wide, 5 Years):

• Regulatory infrastructure and enforcement: €85M
• Recycling infrastructure: €180M
• Consumer awareness campaigns: €75M
• Community development fund (DRC): €700M
• Total: €1.04B over 5 years

Economic Benefits:

• Cobalt recycling industry revenue: €560M/year (creates 3,000-4,000 jobs)
• Reduced cobalt import costs: €420M/year (recycled cobalt cheaper than mined)
• Legal costs avoided: €150M (companies settle lawsuits, avoid future liability)
• Brand value increase for ethical companies: €300M+/year

Net Economic Impact: Positive after Year 3 (€240M net benefit by Year 5)

Consumer Behavior Impact

Market Shift:

• Ethical smartphone market share: 3% → 18% (Netherlands projection)
• Fairphone sales: 450,000 → 2.1M units/year (Netherlands + export)
• Major brands forced to respond: Apple, Samsung announce ethical cobalt commitments by Year 3

Spillover Effects:

• Increased consumer awareness of supply chain ethics in other products (coffee, chocolate, clothing)
• Precedent for other conflict minerals (lithium, rare earths, copper)

Policy Recommendations

EU Level

1. Expand Conflict Minerals Regulation

• Include cobalt in EU Conflict Minerals Regulation immediately
• Mandatory disclosure of smelters and mine sources
• Independent third-party audits
• Penalties for non-compliance

2. Accelerate CSDDD Implementation

• EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive in force by 2026
• Strong enforcement mechanisms (not just voluntary compliance)
• Require smartphone manufacturers to publish annual human rights reports

3. Circular Economy Legislation

• Mandatory 70% smartphone collection rate by 2030
• Manufacturers financially responsible for end-of-life recycling
• Subsidize recycling infrastructure development

Netherlands Level

1. Lead with National Standards

• Child Labour Due Diligence Law passed by 2025
• Netherlands first EU country to require full smartphone supply chain transparency
• Creates competitive advantage for Dutch ethical tech companies

2. Tax Incentives

• Reduce VAT on certified ethical smartphones
• Tax credits for companies implementing traceability systems

3. Public Procurement

• Government, universities, healthcare buy only ethical smartphones
• 50,000 units/year creates guaranteed market for Fairphone

DRC Government Level

1. Artisanal Mining Formalization

• Establish legal framework for artisanal mining cooperatives
• Enforce child labor laws (currently exist but not enforced)
• Combat corruption in mining licensing

2. Benefit-Sharing

• Require international cobalt buyers to contribute to community development funds
• 2-3% of cobalt export value directed to mining regions
• Transparent fund management (oversight by civil society)

Industry Level

1. Smartphone Manufacturers

• Publish complete supply chain maps (mine to product)
• Achieve 100% FCA-certified cobalt by 2030
• Design phones for easy disassembly and recycling

2. Battery Manufacturers

• Invest in cobalt-free battery R&D (LFP, sodium-ion alternatives)
• Long-term goal: Eliminate cobalt dependency entirely
• Near-term: Use only certified ethical cobalt

3. Retailers

• Display ethical sourcing labels prominently
• Train staff on supply chain ethics
• Promote ethical options (Fairphone) alongside mainstream brands

Lessons Learned

What Worked Well

✅ Partnership with Fairphone

• Demonstrated that ethical sourcing is technically and economically possible
• Provided concrete example (not just abstract ideals)
• Fairphone’s transparency made supply chain visible for analysis

✅ Human-Centered Research

• Focusing on specific stories (child miners, families) created emotional impact
• Humanized supply chain issues (not just abstract “human rights violations”)
• Consumer survey respondents more moved by stories than statistics

✅ Multi-Stakeholder Approach

• Engaging NGOs, companies, consumers, policymakers created comprehensive view
• Recognized that no single actor can solve problem alone
• Solutions addressed multiple pressure points (regulation, economics, awareness)

Challenges Encountered

⚠️ Industry Resistance

• Major smartphone brands refused interview requests
• Limited access to supply chain data (proprietary information defense)
• Forced reliance on public reports and third-party investigations

⚠️ Complexity and Complicity

• Easy to vilify individual companies, but system is structurally broken
• Consumers complicit (demand for cheap phones drives exploitation)
• No simple heroes and villains—systemic change required

⚠️ Geographic Distance

• Team couldn’t visit DRC (security, budget constraints)
• Relied on partner organizations (Amnesty) for on-the-ground documentation
• Would have strengthened research to see conditions firsthand

⚠️ Pessimism and Fatigue

• Survey respondents expressed hopelessness (“my choices don’t matter”)
• Ethical fatigue: “Too many issues, can’t care about everything”
• Challenge to inspire action rather than despair

Team Reflections

Isa Koopman (Human Rights Research Lead)

“Before this project, I owned an iPhone and never thought about where it came from. Learning that children younger than my little brother risk their lives in mines so I can scroll Instagram—it hit hard. The most difficult part was balancing outrage with constructive solutions. It’s easy to say ‘this is terrible’ but harder to identify what actually creates change. What gave me hope was Fairphone—proof that a different model is possible. The problem isn’t technology itself, it’s the choices companies make. If one small company can trace cobalt to the mine level, Apple with its €200B cash reserve has no excuse. This project taught me that individual consumer choices matter, but systemic change requires regulation. We need both.”

David Mensah (Supply Chain & Policy Lead)

“My family is from Ghana, and I’ve seen artisanal mining for gold—similar dynamics to DRC cobalt. What struck me was how global economic structures create these exploitative systems. European and American companies profit billions while Congolese miners earn <€2/day. It’s neo-colonialism through supply chains. The certification theater was most frustrating—companies use weak standards to greenwash while changing nothing. But I’m optimistic because I’ve seen how regulation transforms industries. Look at conflict diamonds—still problems, but massive improvement since Kimberley Process. The same can happen for cobalt if we create strong legal frameworks. The pending lawsuit against tech companies could be the turning point.”

Future Opportunities

Immediate Next Steps (2025)

1. Advocacy Campaign Launch

• Partner with Amnesty International to launch consumer awareness campaign
• Target: 1M people reached via social media, events, media appearances
• Petition to Dutch government: Demand Child Labour Due Diligence Law

2. University Engagement

• Present research findings at Dutch universities
• Student campaigns: “Ethical Phone Challenge” (switch to Fairphone)
• University procurement policies: Require ethical smartphones

3. Policy Meetings

• Meet with Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (development cooperation)
• Present recommendations to EU Commission (DG Trade, DG Growth)
• Support ongoing CSDDD implementation

Long-Term Vision (2030-2040)

1. Cobalt-Free Future

• Battery technology evolves beyond cobalt (LFP, sodium-ion, solid-state)
• Reduces dependency on DRC, eliminates human rights risk at source
• Research continues on other critical minerals (lithium, rare earths)

2. Circular Electronics Economy

• 90% smartphone recycling rate achieved
• Urban mining meets 70-80% of industry cobalt demand
• New mining reduced to minimum necessary

3. Systemic Accountability

• All major brands publish transparent supply chains (regulatory requirement)
• Child labor eliminated from smartphone supply chains
• Model extended to all consumer electronics (laptops, tablets, EVs)

Downloads & Resources

• 📊 Cobalt Supply Chain Map - DRC to Netherlands (Available upon request)
• 📄 Human Rights Documentation Report (Amnesty International, 2023)
• 📋 Consumer Survey Results and Analysis (Available upon request)
• ⚖️ Legal Case Summary - Doe v. Apple Inc. et al. (Public court documents)

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Contact

For more information about this project or to support ethical smartphone campaigns, please contact the VCH team at info@valuechainhackers.xyz.

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This project was completed as part of the Value Chain Hackers initiative at Windesheim University, supervised by Maxime Bouillon. Research conducted September 2024 - February 2025 in partnership with Fairphone and Amnesty International Netherlands.