Japanese firms eye cleaner minerals industry

About this episode

The episode discusses the human rights abuses in the minerals industry and how Japanese firms are innovating to address these issues.

Chances are, you're reading this on a smartphone or PC. These gadgets are an essential part of daily life — but not without immense pain for some people. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a major source of rare minerals used in all manner of modern devices. The industry is rife with human rights abuses, and many companies simply turn a blind eye in the name of profit. At least two in Japan are finding innovative ways to end the suffering.

Topics covered

• minerals
• human rights
• technology
• sustainability
• business innovation

Keywords

• rare minerals
• smartphone
• PC
• human rights abuses
• cleaner industry

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Japan

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