Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries power many modern devices, such as smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles. These batteries are considered the most effective option and rely on cobalt predominantly sourced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A majority of the country’s cobalt is manually sourced by artisanal small-scale miners who often suffer severe health and human rights violations due to corruption and lack of government oversight. This article will analyze the ethics of maintaining a supply chain alongside such operations and the engineers’ moral obligation to improve it.
View More The Ethical Responsibility of Engineers in the Cobalt Supply Chain
