Social responsibility in the procurement of computers

More than 4,500 people have supported our petition. These signatures have been presented to universities all over Europe.

Every day, electronics workers worldwide are facing long hours and dangerous working conditions to produce the computers and gadgets that have improved our lives in so many different ways. They are exposed to dangerous chemicals and earn too little to live a decent life. Regularly they are tricked out of parts of their salary and social benefits.

But Public Institutions, like universities, can make a change. Because of their strong buying power, by including social criteria in the procurement process they can greatly contribute to reducing poverty and improving the working conditions in the producing countries.

Students have signed the petition urge European universities and polytechnics to include social criteria into their procurement processes and endorse a resolution at their universities ensuring social responsibility in the procurement of computers.

The signatures have been delivered to universities around Europe in the first week of December 2010. In Austria the petition has been handed over during a well visited press conference with a Philippine guest from the Workers Assistance Center, whereas in the Netherlands the petition has been handed over to a representative of umbrella organisations of universities and universities of applied sciences.