EICC and GeSI announce they have joined the PPA Initiative

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 17, 2011 – The Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition® (EICC®) and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative announce that they have joined the US State Department’s Public-Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade (PPA), a joint initiative between industry, governmental agencies, and civil society formed to support the development of supply chain solutions for sourcing responsibly-mined, conflict-free minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes Region (GLR).

“The Public-Private Alliance provides the EICC and GeSI the opportunity to engage in a critical effort that aims to enable sustainable conflict-free sources of minerals from the DRC and surrounding countries through a collaborative multi-stakeholder process,” said Bob Leet, EICC Co-Lead, EICC-GeSI Extractives Work Group. Mike Loch, GeSI Co-Lead, EICC-GeSI Extractives Work Group, added “Through this alliance, we aim to contribute company supply chain expertise along with our experiences from launching the Conflict-Free Smelter program. Creation of the PPA is a critical step in resolving the issues in the DRC while providing a means for companies to further invest in conflict-free minerals trade in the region.”

The PPA aims to coalesce and strengthen existing sourcing mechanisms by developing a transparent, verifiable, sustainable and conflict-free sourcing program for minerals originating from the eastern DRC and surrounding countries. This program will give companies the option to source minerals from the DRC that do not support armed groups and violence, but instead, promote positive economic development for the region.

The PPA also provides a platform to both leverage and harmonize the multiple programs focused on conflict-free sourcing from the region. Through the development of an information-sharing website and other gatherings, stakeholders are joining forces to promote responsible mineral sourcing from the region. Addressing these goals in a collaborative manner allows the participants to pool resources and expertise for a common good.

For more information on the PPA, see http://www.resolv.org/site-ppa/.

About EICC® (Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition®)

The EICC was established in 2004 to improve social, economic, and environmental conditions in the global electronic supply chain through use of a standardized code of conduct. The EICC was incorporated in 2007 as an association to ensure greater awareness of the Code, and to expand its adoption across the industry. The EICC includes over 60 global electronics companies. For more information or to view the EICC Code of Conduct, see www.eicc.info or the latest EICC annual report.

About GeSI (Global e-Sustainability Initiative)

The Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) is a strategic partnership of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector and organisations committed to creating and promoting technologies and practices that foster economic, environmental and social sustainability. Formed in 2001, GeSI’s vision is a sustainable world through responsible, ICT-enabled transformation. GeSI fosters global and open cooperation, informs the public of its members’ voluntary actions to improve their sustainability performance, and promotes technologies that foster
sustainable development. GeSI has 34 members representing leading companies and industry associations from the ICT sector. GeSI also partners with two UN organizations - the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) - as well as a range of international stakeholders committed to ICT sustainability objectives. These partnerships help shape GeSI’s global vision regarding the evolution of the ICT sector, and how it can best meet the challenges of sustainable development. For more information, see
www.gesi.org.

For more information, contact:

Wendy Dittmer
EICC
+1-512-934-8922
wdittmer@eicc.info

Alice Valvodova

GeSI

+32 2 282 8414

press@gesi.org