Apple on defensive over factory conditions

Apple has defended its ethical standards after disturbing reports emerged about work conditions of the factories in which its products are made.

The New York Times reported on widescale standard breaches at Chinese factories where Apple devices are manufactured.

“Most people would still be really disturbed if they saw where their iPhone comes from,” one unnamed former Apple executive told the newspaper.

The paper said that the factories rely on child labour, 24-hour working days and unsafe conditions.

Banners warn Chinese staff: “Work hard on the job today or work hard to find a job tomorrow”.

Apple emailed employees this week to tell them that it is “attacking problems” at its supply factories and educating workers about their rights.

Chief executive Tim Cook wrote the email in response to criticism about the amount of overtime being worked in the Chinese plants, a deadly factory explosion and cramped living conditions.

“We will continue to dig deeper, and we will undoubtedly find more issues,” Mr Cook said in the email.

“What we will not do — and never have done — is stand still or turn a blind eye to problems in our supply chain. On this you have my word.”

More than half of the suppliers audited by Apple have violated at least one aspect of the company’s code of conduct every year since 2007, the newspaper reported, citing Apple’s public reports. Some of the suppliers improperly disposed of hazardous materials and falsified records.

Apple’s profit margins have widened at the expense of main supplier Foxconn Technology Group, which cut prices to retain orders for iPhones and iPads. At least 10 Foxconn workers committed suicide in 2010, prompting the Taiwanese company to increase wages, put up safety nets to catch ‘jumpers’ and improve worker welfare.

Foxconn, the largest contract manufacturer of electronics in the world, said some of its 1 million-person workforce threatened to jump from a building earlier this month to protest an internal transfer of employees.

“We care about every worker in our worldwide supply chain,” Mr Cook wrote. “Any accident is deeply troubling, and any issue with working conditions is cause for concern. Any suggestion we don’t care is patently false and offensive to us. As you know better than anyone, accusations like these are contrary to our values. It’s not who we are.”

Earlier this month, Apple said it agreed to let outside monitors into its supply factories to view conditions.

Foxconn, criticised for its “military” style working conditions, said that 8,000 people apply to work at its factories every day.

The firm’s chief executive, Terry Gou, had to apologise recently for comparing the management of his workers to managing zoo animals.