Coltan Mines in Congo - Business Ethics

The sound of your mobile device is ringing and you automatically stop whatever you are doing and answer whoever is calling or just replying whoever just texted you. We can see almost every human being has a kind of mobile device in their hand when they are awake with their face firmly planted on the screen whether to check on their status, looking for information or playing the latest crazed games of our times. These device has revolutionised human lives in more way than we ever realised but the discovery of such great device has ever give you a pause to think how is this all possible. This report is to highlight the plight of people suffering in order to power up these great devices for our daily convenience or even me trying to complete this report for submission. There is an important material to make all these wonderful devices we hold so dearly everyday possible which is called Coltan that is short for Columbite-tantalite, a black tar-like mineral which could hold a high electric charge (Breaking the silence 2013). This mineral after going through rigorous refinery process will become a heat resistant powder that could store energy which are essential to any mobile devices. The unfortunate news for device makers there is no ready substitute for this mineral which make it more important and valuable in the market (The International Consortium of Investigative Journalist 2012). Due to the unavailability of substitute for this mineral called Coltan it has made the trading of this mineral a lucrative source of income to those whoever has control over it or able to abundantly supply this special mineral.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) possess a total of 80% of world’s Coltan but the mining operation of this mineral are not totally under the control of the government. These mines have become the source of conflict in the eastern part of Congo between government forces and rebel warlords who wish to exploit this mineral for their own interest (Zaarsham 2013). It has been estimated that 5.4 million people have been killed since the start of this conflict to control the Coltan mines in Congo. The worst statistics due to this conflict half of these death has been children which was working as a miner to mine Coltan in Congo or as a child soldier to preserve the military strength of these rebel warlords in the region (War Child 2014). These atrocity statistics should have woken up the international community to pay attention to these killings and play an active role to stop unnecessary killing in Congo. It is not only the killing of innocent children but the environment impact that was brought on by this conflict. The main environment problem arise from this conflict are deforestation and water scarcity as a result of continuous struggle between conflicting forces in Congo (Draulans and Krunkelsven 2002). This will further exuberate the environment impact in the region which has not shy from conflicts in recent history and the earth eco-system maybe too damage beyond saving all from the result of conflicts in Congo

The continue buying of Coltan by international companies has further compounded Coltan problem in Congo and has make everyday consumer an indirect supporter of conflict in Congo. This Coltan mineral unlike conflict diamond in other part of Africa can be geographically fingerprint for companies to avoid purchase in order not to support or finance rebel warlords in Congo (The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists 2012). This has make companies wishing to stop using Coltan from conflict area so much difficult which could not be differentiate under microscope. The conflict between warring factions is not the only major concern for international community but the safety of the miner in legally operated Coltan mines in Congo. The poor working conditions and appalling safety standard in these mines are so shocking that is comparable to gold mines in the 19th century even though most humans has evolved in the last 200 years (Fagge 2015). The lack of or the non-existence attention towards safety of these miners is a recipe for a disaster waiting to happen.

Business ethics can be defined as a wide range of interactions between firms, individuals, industries, society and the state (FIISS) that guide them in everyday business dealing to possible controversial business decision. The interaction between primary stakeholder such as customers, employees, management, shareholders and suppliers and secondary stakeholder for instances government, community and non-governmental organisations are important as their action will directly impact other parties that has an interest in the issue at hand (Grace and Cohen 2013). The stakeholder can an individual or a group of people who has an interest in achieving the best outcomes for all parties involved. The controversy surrounding Coltan involves not only the warring faction to wrestle control over the mines but the corporation that purchase them that ended up in the hands of end-user consumer. The suffering civilian and displaced refugee caught in the arms conflict to control the trade of Coltan has to be taken into consideration by the international communities as well as all parties involved display stakeholder attributes of power, urgency and legitimacy. Business ethics should not been compromise by any factors such as culture, race, gender and etc. Therefore, business ethics should be fair, accountable, responsible and transparent in all matter and cannot be compromised (Grace and Cohen 2013). There are many corporations that does business ethically in other developed country in mining Coltan but the standard seem to be compromised in Congo. These corporations must act fairly, accountable, responsible and transparent in all region regardless how deplorable the situation has become in Congo. This is to ensure all corporations does not have a double standard in their dealings in order to prevent exploitation and abuse. Phronesis is defined as having common sense or practical judgement to determine action and judgement in dilemma situation (Setiya 2002). Aristotle claim all individual has a rationale compass in us since birth and can be refined trough experience thus shaping our judgement. Stakeholder may or may not be prudence in handling the trade of mineral Coltan in Congo.

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There are four ethical school of thought when explaining the action of the stakeholder or the reason behind their thought process in pursuing their goals. The utilitarianism is a philosophical view that we ought to choose a decision or action that would produce the best consequences or the best overall result in evaluating their options (Nathanson n.d.). The action or decision could be considered correct or best if the consequences is beneficial to the masses regardless of the pain and suffering brought to the minority. The use of child labour by Adidas in Cambodia to stich their clothes in order to keep cost of production low and be competitive in the sportswear industry is a totally unethical business decision by the executives in Adidas (Winn 2015). The decision by Adidas executive to use child labour in pursuit to maximise Adidas shareholder profit is an example of utilitarianism judgement. The continuous usage of child labour will rob a country of its future as they will not be able to formally study in school. The lack of development in their early will lead to a dire consequences of brain drain in the country development for the future. The continuous moral myopia by international corporation on the uses of child labour in Congo are also a utilitarianism adopter. Their intention of maximizing profit of their shareholders by purchasing low cost Coltan in Congo instead from other part of the world who sells Coltan at a higher price due to higher operating cost. It may be argued that international corporation use phronesis to maximise profit by buying low cost instead of high cost Coltan. The cost is low in Congo but it has attributed to the suffering of Congolese directly from international coporation in Congo. The international corporations claim they are against the usage of conflict mineral in their product that was mined by child labour but the latest report contradicts it while still being discreetly practiced by these so call socially responsible corporations (Wakefield 2016). The lure of a high return profit for these corporations is too big of a lure to not circumvent these conditions all in the name of profit. This clearly breaks one the tenets of United Nations Global Compact on labour that wish to abolish child labour (United Nations Global Compact, 2016). This is essential as child labour should not exist in the future by not encourage the use of child under any circumstances.