Mechelen to investigate laptop production conditions for city staff

The city of Mechelen will investigate the labor conditions under which laptops for its municipal staff are manufactured. This move aligns with the city's ethical procurement policy, aiming to ensure human rights and fair labor practices are upheld throughout its supply chains.

To achieve this, Mechelen is joining Electronics Watch, an independent organization that analyzes and reports on working conditions within the international electronics industry. The organization maps risks across the entire supply chain, from the extraction of raw materials to the final assembly of electronic devices.

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We want to take responsibility in the global production chain.

"We want to take responsibility in the global production chain," stated Patrick Princen, alderman for Global Policy. "We know there are sectors, like the ICT sector, where it is more difficult to gain insight into the extraction and mining of materials," added Sabe De Graef, alderman for Personnel and Smart City. "That is why we are working with an expert organization like Electronics Watch."

Mechelen will initially test its membership with Electronics Watch for one year, focusing specifically on laptops for its own personnel. This phased approach, similar to strategies used by KU Leuven and the City of Ghent, allows for evaluation of the program's added value and feasibility. The city's participation is supported by European funding through the Circular Shift project, making the first year's membership fee of 3,000 euros free.

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We know there are sectors, like the ICT sector, where it is more difficult to gain insight into the extraction and mining of materials. That is why we are working with an expert organization like Electronics Watch.