Multi-Stakeholder Roundtable: Electronics Sector in India
SAI & Cividep invite stakeholders from the electronics sector to November 30 roundtable
On November 30, 2012, SAI and the Bangalore-based NGO Cividep will convene a roundtable of local and global stakeholders to engage in social dialogue on challenges in the electronics industry and effective implementation of workplace standards. Expected stakeholders include civil society organizations, companies, manufacturers, trade unions, and international organizations.
Background:
According to the Indian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, electronics hardware production is projected to grow from US $20 billion in 2009 to US $400 billion by 2020, including exports to the US of $80 billion. Some of the major electronics products manufactured in India are computers, mobile phones, medical equipment, consumer electronics and components. The sector currently provides employment to more than 4 million people, but workplace labor practices and environmental health & safety have become a growing concern.
Social dialogue is the foundation of stable employment and sustainable business, addressing two key pillars workplace standards and continual improvement of working conditions. Sustainable resolutions of the most challenging issues are often beyond the sphere of influence of any single workplace.
Topics to be covered:
- Introduce the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and how to implement them in the electronics sector as a common code for brands and suppliers
- Identify and prioritize challenging issues
- Discuss strategies to improve working conditions in the electronics sector
- Propose an Electronics Multistakeholder Advisory Committee (E-MAC) for 2013
Possible outcome:
Stakeholders will prioritize key challenges to be addressed and propose a plan of action for 2013.
About Cividep
Cividep is an NGO based in Bangalore, India, which works to ensure that businesses comply with human rights, labour rights and environmental standards. With this objective, Cividep studies the effects of corporate activities on communities and the environment.
Cividep was formed in 2000 and helps to educate workers about their rights and it campaigns for corporate accountability together with other like-minded organisations and individuals.
Cividep's research has been in the electronics, garments, mining and banking sectors. Our workers’ rights initiatives have been in the garments and electronics manufacturing and plantation sectors.
