Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Drops Chinese Supplier for Child Labor Violations

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,489
30,725



Apple yesterday released its 2013 Supplier Responsibility Report (PDF), disclosing the results of its audit program for 2012 and revealing that it had fired one of its suppliers after finding evidence of 74 underage workers at one facility.

suppliercode.png
In January 2012, for example, we audited a supplier, Guangdong Real Faith Pingzhou Electronics Co., Ltd. (PZ)? that produces a standard circuit board component used by many other companies in many industries. Our auditors were dismayed to discover 74 cases of workers under age 16--a core violation of our Code of Conduct. As a result, we terminated our business relationship with PZ.
Click to expand...
Apple's investigation determined that many of PZ's underage workers had been provided by a local labor agency that had conspired with families to forge age verification documents. As a result, Apple reported the agency to authorities, who fined suspended the business license of the agency while requiring PZ to pay the expenses to return the children to their families.

Apple's report touts a number of other achievements for 2012, including a 72% increase in the number of audits performed compared to 2011, worker empowerment training for 1.3 million employees, and increased compliance with working-hour limitations.

working_hour_compliance_2012.jpg
We've previously covered Apple's regular updates on working-hour compliance, noting that the rate had fallen in the September-November period as part of Apple's allowance for voluntary overtime during periods of high demand. Apple's new report reveals that compliance with the standard returned to near its highs in December, with Apple's audits showing 92% compliance for the entire year across more than one million tracked workers.

Article Link: Apple Drops Chinese Supplier for Child Labor Violations
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/01/25/apple-drops-chinese-supplier-for-child-labor-violations/
phillipduran

phillipduran

macrumors 65816
Apr 30, 2008
1,055
607
Man, these kids were shipped over from their families to work and live at these places. Nice to see Apple standing up against this.
 
I

iphone495

macrumors member
Sep 13, 2012
86
0
Good for Apple! I feel like these things aren't really talked about in the media.
 
Last edited:
L

Limboistik

macrumors regular
Aug 11, 2011
193
5
This is both good and bad.
Now the kids have no jobs and no money to send home to their poor families.

Life is different over there.
 
S

sportsfan

macrumors regular
Nov 13, 2009
211
68
Limboistik said:
This is both good and bad.
Now the kids have no jobs and no money to send home to their poor families.

Life is different over there.
Click to expand...

It's only different because those in power keep it that way....and "capitalism" is part of the problem by exploiting countries that are willing to exploit their population.
It all goes back to the 1%. They feel entitled to their unreasonable compensation so they will do anything to keep it that way. If it were more reasonable, then worker pay could be better while keeping the price of the good the same. Or even if the price were a little higher, every worker is making more money so it wouldn't have much of an effect.
 
S

srxtr

macrumors 6502a
Jul 1, 2010
611
0
These families need money, y'know?

I know Americans think "Child Labor" zomg wa-da-fux but without these jobs the families go hungry and homeless.

gg
 
L

lazard

macrumors 68000
Jul 23, 2012
1,608
818
poor kids, their family's income and standard of living just took a huge nosedive.
 
L

Limboistik

macrumors regular
Aug 11, 2011
193
5
sportsfan said:
It's only different because those in power keep it that way....and "capitalism" is part of the problem by exploiting countries that are willing to exploit their population.
It all goes back to the 1%. They feel entitled to their unreasonable compensation so they will do anything to keep it that way. If it were more reasonable, then worker pay could be better while keeping the price of the good the same. Or even if the price were a little higher, every worker is making more money so it wouldn't have much of an effect.
Click to expand...

If you've been to rural areas of China you will understand.
It's not so much the "powers that be" that are suppressing the rise of the middle class.

It really is a developing country in the majority of the nation. Much of the population have led simple lives.
 
P

Puevlo

macrumors 6502a
Oct 21, 2011
633
1
Just great. Now even longer wait times for products shipping. Nobody cares about a few slightly younger workers.
 
RyanR.

RyanR.

macrumors 6502
Sep 24, 2008
298
0
Virginia
I'm sorry to upset so many, but if the families/parents were so caring to forge and "give" there child to a company how well do you think that child will be received when brought back to the said parent.

Maybe you all had a better childhood than I did. I had to legally work underage just to help keep a roof over my families head, not for toys. :rolleyes:
 
HMI

HMI

Contributor
May 23, 2012
838
319
RyanR. said:
I'm sorry to upset so many, but if the families/parents were so caring to forge and "give" there child to a company how well do you think that child will be received when brought back to the said parent.

Maybe you all had a better childhood than I did. I had to legally work underage just to help keep a roof over my families head, not for toys. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Much respect for you, sir!
 
L

Laird Knox

macrumors 68000
Jun 18, 2010
1,956
1,343
Derp: "Apple uses child labor!"
Apple: "We have cut ties with companies that do not meet our labor standards."
Derp: "OMG! Apple throws children out on the street!"
Face: Palm
 
ArtOfWarfare

ArtOfWarfare

macrumors G3
Nov 26, 2007
9,558
6,058
I worked at my local super market from when I was 14 until I was 17 in the US... This is ageism, nothing but. I don't care about their ages, ask them (our so called "underage workers") what they want. Explain the pros and cons of them working and see what they choose. Don't give me any BS about them being too young to make such a big life decision - I've seen little evidence of someone making substantially smarter decisions at 18 than at 14 (sex related decisions set aside.... Hormone levels do shift a lot, but that shouldn't play much of a role in whether it's a good decision to work or not.)
 
Rodimus Prime

Rodimus Prime

macrumors G4
Oct 9, 2006
10,136
4
It is a start. Still a long ways to go. Yes keep the pressure up and keep doing it.
Yes I know Apple gets the lion share of the pressure but they also are in the best position to force a real change.
 
C

cire

macrumors 6502
Jun 21, 2007
262
0
I worked illegally beginning at age 14. My mom, a working single mother, helped me forge a birth certificate to work at a Burger King. It provided our household with the cushion we needed to not become homeless. I also saved some of the money and used it (against her wishes) to buy my first computer...a Vic-20. I used that computer to make a game that was published, and went on to become a software developer...and Apple engineer.

Had I not worked at an early age, My life would be very different and probably much worse.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom