Ethical Risk Assessment | Sectors
Electrical recycling
People and the environment in non-European countries suffer as a result of the disposal of end-of-life electrical appliances from Western industrialised nations. Although all serious ethical issues in electrical recycling – in particular environmental violations and hazardous working conditions – are predominantly found in the informal sector of West African and South-East Asian countries, the core problem lies within European borders – in the transition between the formal and informal sectors.
era Framework for E-waste Recycling
E-waste recycling – an Ethical Risk Assessment
Fish
Fish and fish products are a natural part of the general diet. Over the last 30 years, global production volumes have doubled and demand for fish remains strong. Because natural stocks have declined sharply due to intensive fishing, fish is increasingly sourced from aquaculture rather than being caught in the wild. However, this shift contributes only marginally to reducing risks in the sector and, in fact, creates further problems.
Fish – an Ethical Risk Assessment
Coffee
Coffee is a product that can be regarded as a pioneer of fair trade and sustainable production. Nevertheless, coffee production continues to be associated with significant harm to people and the environment. This applies to varying degrees to all growing regions and the main producing countries: Ethiopia, Brazil and Vietnam.
Cocoa
Every German consumes almost four kilograms of raw cocoa per year in the form of chocolate bars, Easter bunnies and other confectionery. The chocolate market is recording strong growth rates, and the industry is thriving. However, those who grow the cocoa – mainly based in the northern tropics of West Africa – receive hardly any share of the enormous turnover and are also struggling with falling yields and the exodus of the next generation.
Cocoa – an Ethical Risk Assessment
Toys
Around 80 per cent of the world’s toys are now manufactured in China. More than four million people work there in production, which takes place in countless, mostly small, subcontracting firms. A characteristic of the sector is the highly seasonal nature of the business. The associated fluctuations in orders result in a large number of fixed-term employment contracts in the supply industry. This is because almost 60 per cent of toy sales are made in the run-up to Christmas, in November and December.
Textiles
From the cultivation of cotton through the dyeing and bleaching processes to the cutting and sewing of garments, countless steps are required, the vast majority of which are not carried out in the countries where the products are ultimately consumed. News stories such as those concerning the Rana Plaza disaster repeatedly highlight the ethical and social risks that are all too common in this part of the textile value chain.
Tourism
Travel and holidays are generally associated with relaxation, adventure and fun, meaning that for many people, the tourism industry does not immediately bring to mind serious ethical issues. In fact, however, key risk areas can be identified: above all, the release of climate-damaging emissions from tourist air travel, as well as strain on the natural environment, the violation of the rights of the local population in the destination country, and critical working conditions. The latter problems, in particular, tend to be localised in the destination countries; generally speaking, the risks exist within a broader societal context and overlap with other economic sectors.