You’ve probably heard of the expressions ‘blood diamond’ or ‘conflict diamond’ used to refer to those stones that come from war-torn areas of Africa and fund warlords and their exploits. A new expression related to this is emerging in the tech world: ‘conflict minerals.’ Certain minerals like tin, tungsten and gold are in high demand in the tech industry, as they are vital in the construction of everything from motherboards to iPhones. Just like diamonds, these minerals can often come from areas like the Congo, where the rule of law is virtually non-existent and minerals are harvested in horrible conditions for the gain of local warlords and their armies.
A few companies have emerged as leaders in a new wave of conflict-free supply chain assurance, namely Apple, HP, Intel and Motorola. These companies have responded to growing concerns about the source of the materials used in their products and have developed programs that audit their entire supply chain in order to stamp out questionable sources, right down to the mine where the minerals themselves are extracted. Hopefully this will inspire other companies to follow suit, as consumers increasingly become aware of the sources of the components they buy.
Even though we’re not dealing with warlords in Africa, SEO services companies also need to ensure that their practices don’t contain any shady components (often called black hat SEO). Some companies will do everything they can to get a site on top of Google search results, risking future blacklisting for a quick up-front cash grab. Needless to say, one shouldn’t risk the future of their business for a scheme like this. That’s why Blue Hat always ensures that we use 100% search-engine guidelines compliant ethical practices in our SEO services. We want to invest in your company, not just get you on the first page of Google and leave. Our pledge is to quality, ethically sound results that build a foundation for our clients’ success.
