Participants including industry partners, researchers, and policymakers have explored how past events and turning points have affected the development and markets for a select number of products containing technology metals at multiple Met4Tech workshops.
The groups reflected on the definition of Responsible Innovation (RI) from Von Schomberg (2013) and the AREA framework (Anticipate / Reflect / Engage / Act) by the EPSRC and discussed how to conduct the Met4Tech project activities responsibly.
This work provided helpful lessons in dynamic circular and sustainable approaches from a ‘learning history’ standpoint and produced obligations for developing a set of RI guidelines for the Met4Tech project.
Some insights that have emerged are:
- Diversity of supply as an important part of responsible sourcing
- Recycling is not always virtuous, and the same lessons need to apply to recycling as to initial mining and processing
- Regulations are also essential in managing behaviours along the supply chain.