Apple Releases 2022 Supply Chain Progress Report, Launches $50 Million Skills Development Fund

[MacRumors]

Apple today released its 16th annual People and Environment in Our Supply Chain report. Previously known as the Supplier Responsibility report, the document details how Apple and its suppliers are supporting people across the company's supply chain, transitioning to clean energy, and investing in innovative technologies.

Apple also announced a new $50 million Supplier Employee Development Fund that the company said will expand access to learning opportunities and skills development for people across its supply chain. Apple said the fund also includes new and expanded partnerships with rights advocates, universities, and non-profit organizations, including the International Organization for Migration and the International Labor Organization.

Apple said the new educational programming will be initially available to supplier employees in the United States, China, India, and Vietnam. By 2023, Apple said it expects more than 100,000 supplier employees to participate in new learning opportunities, ranging from leadership training and technical certifications to classes on coding, robotics, and advanced manufacturing fundamentals, including green manufacturing.

"We put people first in everything that we do, and we're proud to announce a new commitment to accelerate our progress and provide even more opportunities for people across our supply chain," said Sarah Chandler, Apple's senior director of Environment and Supply Chain Innovation. "Together with rights advocates and education leaders, we are continuing to drive new innovation to support people and the planet."

Article Link: Apple Releases 2022 Supply Chain Progress Report, Launches $50 Million Skills Development Fund

 

[DMG35]

"You'll want to make sure to buy a 20W charger as it doesn't include come with your purchase. It makes charging the phone/watch must faster and they older chargers won't do that." - Every Apple employee for every phone I've purchased since they stopped including chargers.

I kid, but they do push buying them like crazy now, at least at my local store.

 

[cb3]

Did she build my iMac? ? I feel better already.

 

[HiVolt]

"You'll want to make sure to buy a 20W charger as it doesn't include come with your purchase. It makes charging the phone/watch must faster and they older chargers won't do that." - Every Apple employee for every phone I've purchased since they stopped including chargers.

I kid, but they do push buying them like crazy now, at least at my local store.

Old chargers (at least Apple ones) are useless for new phones, because they now ship them with USB-C to Lightning.

 

[DMG35]

Old chargers (at least Apple ones) are useless for new phones, because they now ship them with USB-C to Lightning.

Yes, I know. Interesting that Apple made it that way that you have to buy them in the name of the environment...

 

[joshwenke]

So $50 million is a big investment for this fund, but $50 million is a drop in the bucket when paying fees to the ACM. Hmm...

 

[man3ster]

That model is not an assembly worker. Where is the dark skinned worker who looks like they have been working 60 hours and is about to pass out? Apple’s sugar coating in action.

 

[swingerofbirch]

It's BS.

If they put people first they would employ them rather than use loopholes to have them provide labor with none of the rights of an employee.

Their revenue per number of employees ratio is completely lopsided.

I get tired of repeating my same story as I have in other threads, but I was put to work for Apple through a disability agency in my state. I was trained by Apple—training I had to pay for. Apple paid nothing into Social Security payroll tax because they have you incorporate yourself as a corporation of one and then subcontract out to your corporation and you are an employee of yourself, despite the fact that you use their systems and work alongside all their other AppleCare employees and contractors. You are the "face" of Apple and yet have no official association with them. At the time I did this there were about 12 large corporations in the US contracted for AppleCare and Apple Sales in the US. All were pitted against each other with impossible metrics. And then those corporations had subcontractors as well. Apple did have its own internal AppleCare employees, as well, who got benefits and had employee rights. But you weren't allowed to transfer from contract status to employee status. In fact you weren't even allowed to talk to Apple. You have no labor rights. It's like you're a carpenter building a deck for someone. Except you use the homeowner's tools, the homeowner tells you how to build the deck, gives you constant feedback, and you work for the homeowner's customers, and there are thousands of you working for the homeowner. In short, it's nothing like building a deck for someone, but they use the labor laws (or lack of them) like it is. I could go on, but I've repeated this ad nauseam so many times.

It's basically Uber but worse because with Uber there is one group of people who at least know what's going on with each other. This is like if Uber secretly had 12 different companies that competed against each other providing the exact same Uber service but with different names so they didn't know they were competing with each other within the same company and each of the 12 companies had even more subcontractors and they were all pitted against each other on price, but despite being 12 different companies it was all Uber service.

I shouldn't write as I'm falling asleep, but I get tired of Apple's BS.

Instead of "investing" $50 million, pay the GD Social Security payroll tax you're avoiding on the non-employees who are doing the *exact* work of employees.

Edit:
The last time one of these reports came out, I let Apple know what I thought. And I got no response.

Their supplier feedback web-site is now a 404:

Supply Chain Innovation

The way your Apple products are made is a reflection of our values. Values that include the people in our supply chain and the planet.

www.apple.com

 

[JKAussieSkater]

Her bare thumb is touching the brand-new computer... WHY?!

 

[CapitalIdea]

That model is not an assembly worker. Where is the dark skinned worker who looks like they have been working 60 hours and is about to pass out? Apple’s sugar coating in action.

Obviously it’s not an assembly workers as she isn’t assembling a computer. This is a QA tester. As for the dark skinned thing, did Foxconn move their plant out of China suddenly?

 

[0924487]

That model is not an assembly worker. Where is the dark skinned worker who looks like they have been working 60 hours and is about to pass out? Apple’s sugar coating in action.

It’s all assembled in China, and no one employed there is dark skinned.

 

[falkon-engine]

Is this a subtle dig at the ACM like we have courageous bold ideas of how best to spend 50 million ?

 

[orbital~debris]

Yes, I know. Interesting that Apple made it that way that you have to buy them in the name of the environment...

It's a good idea 🙂. Think, if even one person doesn't get a charger they don't need… that's still some of our shared resources saved, energy-use reduced and consequential pollution decreased.
A win-win scenario!

Everyone doing small things individually can add up to big things collectively.

 

[orbital~debris]

It’s all assembled in China, and no one employed there is dark skinned.

Last time I checked (it was 2019, when I bought a CTO iMac), Apple had an assembly plant in Ireland. 'Coconut ID' app confirms that my Mac was built there.

 

[4jasontv]

It's a good idea 🙂. Think, if even one person doesn't get a charger they don't need… that's still some of our shared resources saved, energy-use reduced and consequential pollution decreased.
A win-win scenario!

Everyone doing small things individually can add up to big things collectively.

One person sounds about right.

That would make sense if 5W usb A bricks, which were the most common remained in use. But not only has Apple changed the Watt requirement of each device since the policy was implemented, they also shifted from usb a to usb c cables.

Almost no one didn’t need a charger.

 

[NMBob]

Her bare thumb is touching the brand-new computer... WHY?!

Maybe she is testing to see if you get shocked when you grab the case and the power cord at the same time.

 

[orbital~debris]

One person sounds about right.

That would make sense if 5W usb A bricks, which were the most common remained in use. But not only has Apple changed the Watt requirement of each device since the policy was implemented, they also shifted from usb a to usb c cables.

Almost no one didn’t need a charger.

I see your point to a degree, but while we – the MR community – are more likely to be aware of, and want to take part in, improved charging options, there are plenty of people out there who are happy to use older charging technology.

Given that the connector on the iPhone itself hasn't changed since 30-Pin Connector days, those old chargers and cables still work (the USB-C cables in the box can just be ignored), just relatively slowly.

 

[Gazsi]

"We put people first in everything that we do

except products. there, we put our people's and our investors' wallet first.

 

[Razorpit]

That model is not an assembly worker. Where is the dark skinned worker who looks like they have been working 60 hours and is about to pass out? Apple’s sugar coating in action.

The media has you brain washed. There are some extremely attractive people working on assembly lines.

Obviously it’s not an assembly workers as she isn’t assembling a computer. This is a QA tester. As for the dark skinned thing, did Foxconn move their plant out of China suddenly?

It’s funny you mention that. All “western” factories have forced diversity. Try to find a “minority” in an “eastern“ facility.

It’s all assembled in China, and no one employed there is dark skinned.

Not everything Apple comes from China.

 

[ComRadMac]

Just your average factory worker, in full makeup and designer sweater. Totally normal.

 

[Sir_Macs_A_Lot]

That model is not an assembly worker. Where is the dark skinned worker who looks like they have been working 60 hours and is about to pass out? Apple’s sugar coating in action.

Hey, iMacs were also made in the US & Ireland. She could work at one of these.

 

[8CoreWhore]

She works in a factory? And the ones in the keynote?

 

[cb3]

The media has you brain washed. There are some extremely attractive people working on assembly lines.
Yes there are.

It’s funny you mention that. All “western” factories have forced diversity. Try to find a “minority” in an “eastern“ facility.


Not everything Apple comes from China.

She could be: Doing quality control. Or working on repaired of refurbished Macs. The loose sweater and necklace could be a problem in some factories for safety reasons. Regardless, she is doing a FINE job!

 

[ksec]

In terms of pictures, Apple has decided to put a heavy focus on India in their Report this year. Along with more US and Ireland showing. And reduced the photos shown being taken in China. Considering the 90%+ of their products are still done inside China. I find that to be pretty dishonest.

 

[lysingur]

Companies are doing this because of labour shortages. They are now forced to invest and develop people in-house because they can't get people with the right kind of skills and qualifications otherwise. Don't be fooled.