As a $110 billion dollar telecommunications giant, Verizon impacts the lives of millions of cellular customers every day. However, the electronic components of the company's cell phones contain cassiterite, wolframite, coltan and gold, often mined by central African villagers who are reportedly forced to work under dangerous and life threatening conditions.
Ask Verizon to ensure that its cellular phones and devices do not perpetuate the mining of conflict minerals by certifying that its products are not involved in this potentially harmful practice.
Kevin R. Tarrant
Executive Director, Investor Relations
Verizon Communications
One Verizon Way
Building 6, 3rd Floor
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
Dear Mr. Kevin R. Tarrant,
Verizon has more than 100 million wireless subscribers in the U.S.; each of whom has a mobile phone. Your company has enormous influence over the phones we buy, and we want Verizon to use this influence to make a statement against the mining of conflict minerals for the electronic components of cell phones and other devices.
Conflict minerals endanger the welfare of workers and reportedly promote severe violence in the workplace. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, villagers, including children, are often forced to mine cassiterite, wolframite, coltan, and gold in dangerous and life threatening conditions.
As concerned consumers and customers, we want to insist that the metals and minerals used in the production of Verizon cell phones are conflict free. The welfare and fair treatment of others are very important to me, and I cannot support a company that does not share my values. Until Verizon conducts further research on alternative cell phone components and releases a public statement asserting its stance against conflict minerals, I will not use your cellular service nor recommend it to others. Additionally, I intend to encourage fellow Moxy Vote users that are Verizon shareholders to penalize the board of directors if this issue is not addressed to our satisfaction.
Please keep us posted on your efforts through Moxy Vote.
