|
Leading tech companies set up electronics industry code of conduct |
|
|
|
Feb 04, 2005 at 09:00 PM |
Cisco Systems Inc. HP, Microsoft and Intel Corporation have formed a
new supply chain working group to develop integrated implementation
plans for the recently announced Electronics Industry Code of Conduct
(EICC).
The code was recently developed to establish and promote unified
industry expectations for socially responsible practices across the
electronics industry's global supply chain. The new working group,
facilitated by Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), will develop
common mechanisms and tools that will enable compliance with the Code.
HP facilitated collaboration on the code between itself, Dell, IBM and
electronics manufacturing companies Celestica, Flextronics, Jabil,
Sanmina SCI, and Solectron. Released on Oct. 21, 2004 the code paves
the way for a harmonized approach for monitoring suppliers' performance
across several areas of social responsibility, including labor and
employment practices, health and safety, ethics, and protection of the
environment.
The companies will work collaboratively with vendors and partners in
the supply chain to develop common approaches to supplier survey,
reporting methods, auditing tools, risk assessments and programs to
enhance supplier capabilities. The group encourages other companies to
endorse the code and join this industry initiative to harmonize
business processes, tools and resources. The joint effort reflects the
participating companies' commitment to leadership in the area of
corporate social responsibility and their desire to help vendors
streamline their reporting requirements and make performance easier to
verify.
"Intel has been in the forefront of this issue since 1998, and this new
unified code matches our current supplier expectations very well. We
believe that real strength of this code of conduct lies in its
implementation," said Roger Whittier vice president Technology and
Manufacturing Group for Intel. "By working together to put these tools
and mechanisms in place we are creating a framework that allows the
industry to build awareness and improve adherence to the code on a
worldwide basis."
|
