Apple CEO responds to allegations of Chinese worker abuse
Is Apple finally getting tough on their abusive Chinese suppliers? Maybe. Intent on stemming the increasing complaints from the public and investors alike, Apple CEO Tim Cook fired off an email yesterday to combat claims from "people questioning Apple's values," detailing what the company is doing to find "problems" in their supply chain.
Tech giant Apple may have a net worth greater than most first-world countries, but working conditions at their Chinese suppliers' factories are notoriously third world. Addressing this, Cook wrote an email addressed to all employees to explain what the company is doing to combat abuses.
"Earlier this month we opened our supply chain for independent evaluations by the Fair Labor Association. Apple was in a unique position to lead the industry by taking this step, and we did it without hesitation. This will lead to more frequent and more transparent reporting on our supply chain, which we welcome. These are the kinds of actions our customers expect from Apple, and we will take more of them in the future."
Apple's new website, Supplier Responsibility, allows visitors to track the company's progress in addressing issues regarding their suppliers. There, you can learn more about Apple's requirements with regard to labor and human rights, worker health and safety, and environmental impact of the companies it contracts work out to.
Public outrage over Apple suppliers, especially notorious Chinese company Foxconn, is nothing new. Two workers were killed in a Foxconn iPad factory explosion in 2011, and the high rate of worker suicides has forced the contractor to install suicide-prevention netting. The Daily Show, among others, have compared Foxconn factories to prisons.
(Source: yahoo.com)
