Apple Admits to Using Child Labor

As a massive company that relies on foreign contractors, “Apple is committed to ensuring the highest standards of social responsibility wherever our products are made.” Apparently, those foreign contractors are not as keen on Apple’s outlook regarding social responsibility.

In Apple’s 2009 audit for 102 of their supplier facilities, 17 “core” (another word for “serious”) violations were discovered. This includes three cases of underage labor where, “Apple discovered three facilities that had previously hired 15-year-old workers in countries where the minimum age for employment is 16.” In addition, the auditors also “found records of 11 workers who had been hired prior to reaching the legal age, although the workers were no longer underage or no longer in active employment” at the time of audit.

There were also eight cases of workers paying “recruitment” fees over the limits of local law and workers at 24 factories that were earning less than local minimum wage — recruitment fees were collected for the benefit and privilege of being able to work.

Oh, and what else? Well, there were 48 factories cheated their workers of overtime and 57 factories that cheated workers out of rightful sick leave and other benefits.

Business Insider and the Huffington Post both have great in-depth coverage if you are interested in more. To read Apple’s 2010 Supplier Responsibility Progress Report, see the Supplier Responsibility site or download the PDF.

Share