Edinburgh University: World’s First Socially Responsible University?

“We want to become the world’s first socially responsible university” explains Dave Gorman as Edinburgh University becomes the first in the UK to join Electronics Watch.

A big ethical thumbs up for The University of Edinburgh as it becomes the first UK University to commit itself to only buying electric products from companies providing fair rights to labourers.

Every year UK Universities spend millions of pounds on electronics, with much of this money going to companies whose workers rights are frequently violated in sweatshops. Many of these workers are forced to work excessive hours, exposed to dangerous chemicals and prevented from forming workers unions.

Yesterday, with the help of the University of Edinburgh People & Planet group the university has become the first UK Uni to join Electronics Watch, a monitoring organisation that aims to make change in the electronics industry.

Through responsible purchasing Electronics Watch strives to achieve better rights and working conditions for labourers in the world of electronics.

“It is great that the University of Edinburgh have taken this step in becoming the first UK university to join Electronics Watch, with other universities following closely behind. Students and other campaigners across the UK and Europe are calling on their universities and public institutions to take a stand for electronics workers’ rights, and Edinburgh are leading the way” says Jim Cranshaw, the Labour Rights Campaign Manager, involved in the creation of Electronics Watch.

Now you can feel good about using the library computers

Well done, Edinburgh!