Shailesh Shrivastava email: s.shrivastava@mobilenapps.com
Apple's latest Supplier Responsibility report is out, and this time it has come with a shocker. The latest report found the company's one of the supplier's employing 74 workers under the age of 16, which is against the code of conduct of the company.
The report also says that the third-party supplier, Guangdong Real Faith Pingzhou Electronics Co., Ltd. (PZ) had forged documents of all the underage employees.
Apple also found out that a very famous labor agency, Shenzhen Quanshun Human Resources Co., Ltd. (Quanshun), registered in Shenzen and Henan provinces of China, knowingly provided the children to its supplier. Quanshun conspired with the families of the children and forged the verification documents in order to make the employees officially appear older than they were.
After finding out the violation, Apple snapped its ties with PZ and also reported the matter to the provincial governments.
"We also alerted the provincial governments to the actions of Quanshun. The agency had its business license suspended and was fined. The children were returned to their families, and PZ was required to pay expenses to facilitate their successful return. In addition, the company that subcontracted its work to PZ was prompted by our findings to audit its other subcontractors for underage labor violations-proving that one discovery can have far-reaching impact," Apple said in the report.
It is not the first case when Apple's supplier violated involved child labor for executing the Cupertino-based company's order. Last year, Apple's major supplier, Foxconn admitted of breaching the child labor law and employing interns as young as 14 years.
"A small number of student interns employed in the summer were between 14 to 16 years old. Now Foxconn has begun to send those underage interns back to school. These underage interns were mainly sent to Foxconn by schools, but Foxconn did not check the IDs of these young interns. The schools involved in this incident should take primary responsible, but Foxconn is also culpable for not confirming the ages of their workers," China Labor Watch had reported.
The report also included that these interns were not given even a single day off from work and they were forced to work extra hours in order to complete their targets.
For the Supplier Responsibility report 2013, the company conducted 393 audits in 2012 at all levels of its supply chain covering facilities where more than 1.5 million workers make Apple products. The number is a 72 percent increase over 2011. This total number of audits includes 55 focused environmental audits and 40 specialized process safety assessments to evaluate suppliers' operations and business practices.
In addition, Apple also conducted 27 targeted bonded labor audits to protect workers from excessive recruitment fees.
most read
more stories from News
Learn about Apple's settlement in the class-action lawsuit over iPhone 7 audio issues, offering up to $349 compensation for eligible users. Dive into the details and implications of this landmark agreement.
ernest hamiltonThousands of Apple users experienced a major iMessage outage on Thursday evening, impacting communication across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Downdetector reported over 13,000 disruptions starting at 6 p.m. ET. Stay updated with the latest developments and potential fixes.
ernest hamiltonDelve into the complexities of managing screen time for children as parents navigate between practicality and idealism.
ernest hamiltonDiscover why the Pixel 7a outperforms the new Pixel 8a in this detailed comparison. Learn about the advantages in affordability, color options, and feature parity. Read now to make an informed choice!
ernest hamiltonDiscover the future of smartphone audio with Moondrop's MIAD 01. Explore its dual audio jacks and premium DACs in this in-depth review. Ready to elevate your music experience? Read now!
ernest hamiltonUnveiling Android's AI evolution with Gemini integration, Discover how AI is poised to combat scams and revolutionize security. Stay informed and secure!
ernest hamiltonDiscover how Samsung's innovative Knox Journals are revolutionizing user privacy and data control. Learn how cutting-edge features empower users to take control of their devices and safeguard their personal information.
ernest hamiltonThe latest AI breakthroughs unveiled at Google I/O 2024, from Project Astra's revolutionary AI assistance to Gemini integration in Google Workspace and Android 15 innovations. Dive into the future of technology with seamless AI experiences.
ernest hamilton