November 12, 2024
I’m going to Africa now.
I see what the responsible sourcing actually looks like, and I actually want to understand the meaning of the community.
This is the first time that I first visited the ground partner of the sub -Saharan continent after acquiring the CEO of the pair phone in August. I already know that it will be an amazing opportunity to experience the complex epidemiology of craftsmen and small mine (ASM). I have one more motive for travel. We want to evaluate the robustness of the responsible gold credit (RGC) system to be controlled later this year.
We have always pursued more responsibility for “crash minerals”, especially raw materials, especially gold, tungsten and tin. Over the years, we have learned how to have many difficulties in the industry to track and check where these minerals come from thousands of suppliers and components. The RGC system, which was started by partners from Impact Facility and Solidaridad, would like to create an executable model for raw material sourcing responsible in the electronics industry.
So how does it work? According to this plan, a company like Fairphone can buy gold credit for each gold gram produced in the mine. Don raised in this credit is invested in a project to improve the lives of those who work in this mines and their families. In this way, we not only compensate for all the gold used in the device, but also reduce it to the community that will help to create a product, encouraging them to adopt more responsible and sustainable mining practices.
| FairMined Credits System vs. Centious Mineral Credit System Both credit systems are similar in operation, but the responsible mineral credit system is designed to help craftsmen and small mine who are not eligible for fair certification yet. |
Travel to GEITA provides us the opportunity to see the impact on the system of the system. We want to expand the system and encourage more mine in the ASM sector to join this plan. Our goal is to confirm that this framework is powerful, expandable and prepared for a wide range of implementation within the supply chain.
Learn more about the work of Fairphones with Artisanal and Small-Scale Mines of DRC.
November 13, 2024
Today, it was one of the days of a long and long trip full of domestic flights, transportation and unexpected bypass. After leaving Dar Es Salaam early this morning, I headed to GEITA through Mwanza. The path also included a ferry crossing! It felt like an endless stop and starting, and I finally arrived at the hotel and was connected to my colleague Lisa Minere. Lisa is a dedicated project manager of Fair Mining and arrived at GEITA earlier this week. She visited the gold market and mining sites for the next few days and talked with major partner organizations to review her works.
November 14, 2024
I was unbelievable today. We spent breakfast at GEITA GOLD MARKET, an amazing initiative of Tanzania’s mining industry. Founded to create a fair and centralized space for gold transactions, the market gathered small miners, dealers and government representatives in a safe and regulated environment.
GEITA GOLD MARKET is a one -stop hub with government offices, banks and security services to ensure transparent and fair transactions. Market officials create transparency on gold prices, while taxes and fees are taxed and fees collected directly into the Tanzanian economy. The market was innovative for the government, so it was possible to regulate sales and collect the necessary taxes. It also reduces cancer market sales by providing an important alternative to the company legally participating in the ASM mine.
After walking around the market and talking with various people, we had dinner in a review session with major partner organizations. These are part of the main takeout of the session.
- Increasing the will of mining management to invest in technology without mercury
- Women and women in mining communities are more powerful. More acceptance of women who participate in more technologies and leadership roles in the mining site and the acceptance of women groups investing in their own business.
- Mine managers are alternatives to increase their knowledge of equipment and access it in a cheaper and more fair way.
- Increased focus on safety and health of mining management
- It is clear that the training of the trainer approach will guarantee that knowledge can continue to live in the mining community.
November 15, 2024
Our day will start by visiting the NSANGANO mine, and the responsible gold credit system will be piloted by the end of this year. NSANGANO was evaluated for minimum sustainability standards in November 2023, so gold weight is produced, legally sold, and creates equal weight of responsible gold credit. In discussions with management, they shared certain goals for fund investments raised through RGC purchases.
- Acquisition of technology without mercury
- Purchase safety equipment to protect miners from toxicity
- Tree seedlings are planted to support local reorganization efforts.
After we met site management, we had the opportunity to actually go down to the mine and go down to Earth at 75 meters. If you experience the conditions for me, I emphasized the urgent need to support safer practices in mine like NSANGANO.
Later, we traveled by Mgusu mine, which works as a cooperative focusing on sex. 200 out of 800 miners are women, and many of them are leadership positions. Investing in MGUSU’s CIP (Carbon-in-Pulp) plant is a perfect example of the innovation of responsibility mining, which captures 90-97%of gold without mercury compared to 40%of the existing mercury treatment. The benefits of the environment and health of this system are directly consistent with the goals of the responsible gold initiative, making it a model of other craftsmanships in the region.
Tomorrow, dawn, I start a long trip to the Netherlands with everything I learned this week. Earlier next year, FAIRPHONE is pleased to announce that FAIRPHONE will be officially controlled by the official RGC system by purchasing credits to directly support the ASM community. I would also like to be grateful to local partners, shock facilities and solidaridad that helped develop this initiative before signing. Dutch corporate institution (RVO), And the European partnership of EPRM, which enables this project with funds and expertise. Our dedication to responsible sourcing feels powerful at any time, and I am very happy to see how the RGC system will continue to support Tanzania’s positive change.
Fairphone’s RGC pilot program is the first step towards the future for all companies to physically source responsibility or to cover consumption with credit. If others participate, this system will increase the size and depth project of financing funds, and the ASM division can be systematically shifted into a more responsible industry, which can be shifted to a sustainable and profitable industry to the related communities. If you are interested in how to participate in the organization Click here.
