BlackBerry scores 3 out of 19 at Rank a Brand: Compare how transparent, green and fair your favorite brands are

BlackBerry Info

Rank a Brand score:

3 out of 19
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Brand Owner: RIM
Head Office: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Sector: Electronics & ICT Hardware
Categories: (Mobile) Phones
Free Tags: Cell, Telephone, Mobile Phone, GSM, Smartphone, Organizer, Device

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Last Updated: 28 February 2012
Last Verified: 28 February 2012

BlackBerry Score Report

Questions about Climate Change/ Carbon Emissions

1 out of 5


1. Does the brand (company) clearly support global mandatory cuts of carbon emissions of at least 50% by 2050 or 30% by industrialized countries by 2020?	Neither RIM nor BlackBerry (brand owner) states whether or not they support global mandatory emission cuts at these levels.	SOURCE
2. Has the brand (company) disclosed the annual carbon footprint of its 'own operations' and of the supply / production chain?	RIM, is a member of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and has published the carbon footprint for its own operations and that of at least a portion of the supply chain / or product lifecycle on the website of the CDP.	SOURCE
3. Has the brand (company) set a target to reduce its ‘own operations’ carbon footprint by at least 20% within the next 5 years?	RIM states it expects that its carbon emissions will increase in the forthcoming years.	SOURCE
4. Has the brand (company) already reduced or compensated its 'own operations' carbon footprint by at least 10% in the last 5 years?	RIM is a member of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and has indicated on this website, that their carbon emissions have increased since the last year (page 13).	SOURCE
5. Do all new products of the brand meet the latest Energy Star requirements (where applicable)?	BlackBerry or RIM do not mention using Energy Star, on its website. Sustainability information should be easiliy accessible for consumers to make responsible choices.	SOURCE

Questions about Environmental Policy

0 out of 7


1. Has the brand (company) eliminated PVC and BFRs in all new products? If not, does the brand give a timeline for achieving this by 2012?	RIM does not use any content of PVC in their materials. However the company is still using BFR with a threshold level of 1000ppm. See Appendix B of the Corporate Responsibility 2011 report. RIM has not published any future plans to achieve this by 2012.	SOURCE
2. Has the brand (company) already eliminated PVC and BFRs in all new products?	See remark for environmental policy question 1.	SOURCE
3. Has the brand (company) already eliminated at least 2 of the 3 groups of suspect chemicals (beryllium, antimony and phthalates) in all of its new products? If not, does it give a timeline for achieving this by 2012?	1. Not mentioned; 2. Maximum workweek is 60 hours (including overtime) 'except in emergency cases and unusual situations', which can mean anything; 3. Living wage is not mentioned. 3. Freedom of Association is mentioned, but nothing found about situations in which this right is restricted by law (see p.2).	SOURCE
4. Has the brand (company) already eliminated at least 2 of the 3 groups of suspect chemicals (beryllium, antimony and phthalates)in all of its new products?	See remark for environmental policy question 3.	SOURCE
5. Does the brand (company) support the principle of Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR), meaning that brands are responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their own products, including take back and recycling?	Neither RIM nor BlackBerry states whether or not they support the principle of IPR.	SOURCE
6. Does the brand (company) provide free and easy take back and recycling services for its discarded products in many of the countries where its products are sold?	BlackBerry offers a recyling program, but this service is only available for people living in the United States.	SOURCE
7. Does the brand (company) source at least 5% of its plastics from recycled plastic streams and does it give a clear timeline to increase this percentage to at least 25% by 2025?	Neither RIM nor BlackBerry mentions the use of recycled plastics in their products on their websites.	SOURCE

Questions about Labour Conditions/ Fair Trade

2 out of 7


1. Does the brand (company) have a policy that excludes smelters of conflict minerals by only sourcing minerals from conflict free areas or by only sourcing minerals from conflict areas when human rights are respected and where contributing to conflict is avoided?	"RIM does not directly purchase these materials from any source and has sought written assurances from our tantalum capacitor suppliers that they are not using tantalum made from conflict minerals" (see page 24).	SOURCE
2. Does the brand (company) have a Code of Conduct (CoC) for both its own factories and those of its suppliers, which includes the following standards: No forced or slave labor, no child labor, no discrimination of any kind and a safe and hygienic workplace?	Yes, RIM is a member of the EICC and has adopted the EICC Code of Conduct in which all standards are mentioned.	SOURCE
3. Does the brand’s (company’s) CoC include at least 3 of the following workers rights: 1. a formally registered employment relationship 2. a maximum working week of 48 hours with voluntary paid overtime of 12 hours maximum 3. a sufficient living wage 4. form and join labor unions and bargain collectively; and in those situations where these rights are restricted under law, to develop parallel means?	1. Not mentioned; 2. Maximum workweek is 60 hours (including overtime) 'except in emergency cases and unusual situations', which can mean anything; 3. Living wage is not mentioned (see p.2); Freedom of Association is mentioned, but nothing found about situations in which this right is restricted by law (see p.2).	SOURCE
4. Does the brand (company) have a published list of direct suppliers that have collectively contributed to more than 90% of the purchase volume?	Neither RIM nor BlackBerry publishes a list of direct suppliers on their websites.	SOURCE
5. Is the brand (company) a member of a multi stakeholder initiative (MSI), wherein independent NGO’s or labor unions are represented, that collectively aims to improve labor conditions and that carries out independent audits? Or does the brand (company) significantly purchase its supplies from factories certified by such MSI’s?	RIM is a member of both the EICC and GeSI, but civil society organizations do not have a voice in these initiatives (see p. 25).	SOURCE
6. Does the brand (company) annually report on the results of its labor conditions policy?	Neither RIM nor BlackBerry provides an annual report on the results of its labor conditions policies.	SOURCE
7. Has the brand’s labor conditions policy resulted in a ‘compliance level’ of at least 30% of the purchase volume, or a ‘monitored level' of at least 80%?	See remark for labor conditions question 6.	SOURCE