SAN FRANCISCO — Apple published on Thursday its supplier responsibility report, an annual audit of the contract workers who produce and assemble its iPhones, iPads and other hardware in factories outside the United States.
Apple said that had it confirmed that its suppliers did not use tantalum, a type of metal commonly used in electronics, containing any conflict minerals — minerals that come from areas engaged in warfare.
The conflict-minerals debate centers on the Democratic Republic of Congo, where some warlords have profited from the sale of ores containing tantalum, tungsten, tin and gold to component suppliers who make parts for electronics. A grass-roots campaign has been pressing technology giants to keep conflict minerals out of their supply chains.
The company said it had verified through third parties that the tantalum smelters used by its suppliers were conflict-free. It said it was pushing suppliers of tin, tungsten and gold to also use sources verified as conflict-free.
Nokia spoke up about conflict minerals two years ago and published a list of steps it was taking to avoid transactions involving conflict minerals.
In its supplier responsibility report, Apple also said that it was trying to put an end to excessively long workweeks. It said that last year it drove suppliers to an average of 95 percent compliance with its standard for a maximum workweek of 60 hours, up from 92 percent compliance the previous year.
“Workweeks exceeding 60 hours have been a persistent problem for the electronics industry, and reducing excessive overtime remains a priority for Apple,” the company said in its report. “We limit workweeks to 60 hours, except in unusual circumstances. And all overtime must be absolutely voluntary.”
Apple said it was investing in helping workers through its supply chain better understand their rights. It said that last year, more than 280,000 people at 18 supplier sites took courses offered through its free education program, and suppliers trained about 1.5 million workers on their rights.
Apple released a list of its major suppliers as part of its supplier responsibility report for the first time two years ago, following other corporations like Hewlett-Packard, Intel and Nike, which have released similar lists.
This is the eighth such report that Apple has released. The company started conducting audits and publishing reports in 2007 after media reports of poor working conditions at Foxconn, a Chinese manufacturer of products for Apple, Sony, Microsoft and others.
Apple’s 2011 report showed that 137 workers had been seriously injured after cleaning iPad screens with n-hexane, a toxic chemical that can cause nerve damage and paralysis. The year before, there were several suicides among workers at Foxconn.
via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1gtiz7K
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