Digitalisation pressures the earth's resources, especially critical raw materials (CRMs). The CRMs, are functional materials that meet current challenges and future demands in information and communication technology (ICT). The extraction and processing of CRMs are highly concentrated, mainly outside the European Union (EU). The EU is dependent on import supply. Due to growing demand, an increase in primary CRM mining is expected shortly. Moreover, research showed that primary CRM mining significantly impacts human rights abuse. The increased CRM demand and supply can have an increased effect on human rights challenges. A greater focus is being placed in the EU on preventing and mitigating human rights violations in the global value chain. However, there is limited research in the telecommunication industry on managing human rights in the context of primary CRM supply. The growing demand in CRMs for telecommunication products and technologies highlights the importance of incorporating strategies to secure their business within the telecommunication sector. Therefore, this research aims to answer the following question: What strategies can telecommunication companies deploy in response to human rights challenges in primary critical raw materials supply? The methodology is mainly based on a qualitative approach. The research includes scientific and grey literature reviews, expert interviews, internal documents, and expert workshops. Research data is analysed using the framework on human rights in primary critical raw material supply development.

The research provides an overview of human rights in primary CRM supply. It shows the drivers and barriers for KPN in how to deal with this changing environment. The main focus is on human rights in the context of Conflict Mineral (CM) supply instead of the EU CRM list. Companies don’t have a fixed strategy in place to manage human rights challenges in primary CRM supply. Secondly, a case study is performed on cobalt extraction in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The general finding was that many human rights challenges occur in primary cobalt mining in the DRC. Various human rights challenges occur in artisanal small-scale mining (ASM) as well as in large-scale mining (LSM). Furthermore, among telecommunication companies, there are different levels of advancement in human rights due diligence practices in CRM supply. However KPN has an emergent strategy on the topic, the company is behind their peers in the level of advancement. At last, a strategy is developed for managing the human rights challenges in primary CRM supply. Experts validated the strategy.

The thesis concludes that becoming a responsible Mineral Initiative (RMI) member and implementing the OECD framework would be a decent start. The RMI provides tools and resources to advance on the topic. Having limited resources and capacity and dealing with complex mineral supply chains makes that a suitable option for KPN. In the medium term, KPN should explore additional actions, which should be the building blocks to advance on the topic and strengthen the company's position.

Further research could focus on exploring case studies CRMs in relation with human rights challenges, and understand the interaction of the system in depth. Moreover, develop schemes and guidelines for responsible supply of all minerals in LSM and ASM sector that are linked to human rights challenges. This is important in order to ensure that companies have a strategy in place. A strategy were human rights challenges are well managed and ensure responsible CRM supply.

Critical Raw Materials (CRMs), materials with high economic importance and supply risk, are the key components of strategic sectors, including Information and Communications Technology (ICT). With foreseeable growth in CRMs demand, principles such as Circular Economy (CE) strategies are gaining attention as means to mitigate risks associated with CRMs. This study examines the effect each CE strategy has on CRMs in servers, via a case study of a Dutch telecommunications company. The study was conducted by collecting industry insights from 16 industry experts and performing a literature review.

Results show that out of 47 types of CRMs, at least 20 CRMs are contained in 4 sub-assemblies and 2 extension tools of a rack server. Among the sub-assemblies, the motherboard is found to contain the most diverse types of CRMs, while the HDD contains the largest amount of CRMs.

CE strategies were investigated in two ways, first by studying current strategies implemented by the company and its value chain partners, and by investigating advanced practices and strategies discussed in the literature. Results indicate that each CE strategy impacts the CRMs in sub-assemblies in different ways, while also having varied limitations in their potential. The result also shows that the current implementation of CE strategies does not always lead to the enhanced circularity of CRMs, as indicated in most of the CRMs being lost in current recycling practices. The degree of effect also differs depending on the strategy and sub-assembly. In the case of the motherboard, substantial potential to improve circularity was identified in the substitution method and advanced recycling strategy, with more CE strategy in need for Ba and P containing components. For HDDs, significant potential was observed in the functional substitution by SSDs and advanced HDD recycling technology. In addition, the strategies’ potential in mitigating the supply risk and environmental impact associated with CRMs was explored. While each strategy is seen to have the potential in reducing risk, its effectiveness depends on multiple factors and further case studies will be necessary to quantify it.

The results imply that enhancing the circularity of CRMs is a complex challenge where diverse interest from actors in the value chain is involved. For this reason, the study stresses the need for active collaboration among value chain partners and system-level support, to be able to design each CE strategy tailored for intended improvement in CRMs circularity. For the advancement of the topic, further studies are recommended, including the four goals of inventing secure ways for CRMs data sharing across the value chain, design for lifetime extension and CRMs recycling via collaboration between suppliers and downstream partners, finding economically viable business models for CRMs circularity, and assessing each CE strategy’s risk mitigation potential via specific case studies.

This thesis aims to develop an energy transition scenario for the cement industry using a simulation model that models energy flows to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The model's decarbonisation pathways are constructed with assumptions about the country's socio-economic conditions, energy efficiency, fuel share, and technology share. The modelling focuses on decarbonising thermal energy use by substituting fossil fuel use with low carbon fuels such as biomass, hydrogen, and electricity. Depending on the assumptions in scenarios, fossil fuel use gets phased out rapidly or slowly. It is also assumed that electricity used for the cement industry gets decarbonised over the years with an increase of renewables. Results show that the role of different energy carriers in different mitigation pathways depends on the assumptions taken for decarbonisation. In the short term, fossil fuels have an important role in the transition to alternative fuels. In the medium to long term, the role of alternative fuels is high as fossil fuels begin to phase out. The role of electricity and hydrogen is moderate as electric, and hydrogen kilns are introduced later and do not take a high share in clinker production. Furthermore, alternative fuels and CCS technologies are crucial for countries to pursue low carbon pathways.