Apple’s production and manufacturing methods have been deemed ‘unethical’ by SumOfUs – a global online watchdog that fights for workers rights around the globe.
SumOfUs claim that workers in Foxconn’s China-based factories, where Apple’s products are made, are forced to work 12+ hour shifts, six days a week and breathe in dangerous chemicals, like n-hexane, just ‘because it dries a few seconds faster than a safe alternative.’
‘After just a few years on the line,’ continues SumOfUs’ detailing of life inside Foxconn’s factories, workers ‘will be fired because the neurological damage from the n-hexane and the repetitive stress injuries to their wrists and hands make them unable to continue performing up to standard.’
SumOfUs filed an online petition last week asking Apple to make the iPhone 5 in an ethical manner. The petition got more than 35,000 signatures in the first 24 hours, according to CNET.
But should it really take this much pressure to persuade Apple to produce its products ethically? We don’t think so. Apple should be leading by example and not just with profits.
Why do we think this? Well, for starters there’s the fact that Al Gore is a board member at Apple. That’s right: Al Gore, the man that’s mad at you for your carbon footprint, sits on the board of a company that pollutes China’s environment and allegedly exploits its workers.
Then there’s the fact that Apple is one of the richest companies in the world. Surely it can afford to cut its workers some slack? Failing that it could at least insist that Foxconn improve working conditions in its factories (and that doesn’t just mean just putting up suicide nets).
Economically speaking, improving working conditions costs money. So if Foxconn did improve the conditions inside its factories this would translate into higher costs passed onto Apple and in turn us, the consumer. But is this something we’d be willing to pay extra for? An iPhone already costs £499 for the cheapest. Would be pay an addition £100 on top of that to ensure it was made ethically?
It sounds like a silly question but many people don’t like paying extra for non-perceivable extras – just look at how many people buy organic milk and vegetables.
Many will argue that Apple should just absorb the extra cost and lose a few percentages on its profit margin sheets at the end of the quarter – it can certainly afford it with over $70 billion operating cash in the bank. But is this the right approach? Apple is a business after all – and business is about keeping costs down and profits up. But when the cost is human, do the same rules apply?
Our 2p? Apple needs to lead by example. It’s one of the biggest brands in the world and has the power, resources and clout to demand better working conditions for the people who make its products. We understand the economical costs that are involved in producing high-end technology. It’s not just about the cost of parts or labour. Apple, like any other tech business, has to recover its spend on R&D, marketing, advertising, licensing and so on.
But with record quarterly performance and unprecedented growth as a business, wouldn’t this be a great time for Apple to publicly address and improve the conditions of the workers that make its products? It’d be great PR for the company, especially after all the bad press it’s been receiving on account of this issue, and it would also change lives for good.
And if there’s any doubt in your mind about the severity of the conditions that workers in Foxconn factories endure while they build iPhones and iPads then you should read The New York Times’ brilliant expose on the subject.
Here’s a copy of a memo sent to Apple employees from Tim Cook addressing the above issues, courtesy of 9to5Mac:
'Team,
As a company and as individuals, we are defined by our values. Unfortunately some people are questioning Apple's values today, and I'd like to address this with you directly. We care about every worker in our worldwide supply chain. Any accident is deeply troubling, and any issue with working conditions is cause for concern. Any suggestion that 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.
For the many hundreds of you who are based at our suppliers' manufacturing sites around the world, or spend long stretches working there away from your families, I know you are as outraged by this as I am. For the people who aren't as close to the supply chain, you have a right to know the facts.
Every year we inspect more factories, raising the bar for our partners and going deeper into the supply chain. As we reported earlier this month, we've made a great deal of progress and improved conditions for hundreds of thousands of workers. We know of no one in our industry doing as much as we are, in as many places, touching as many people.
At the same time, no one has been more up front about the challenges we face. We are attacking problems aggressively with the help of the world's foremost authorities on safety, the environment, and fair labor. It would be easy to look for problems in fewer places and report prettier results, but those would not be the actions of a leader.
Earlier this month we opened our supply chain for independent evaluations by the Fair Labor Association. Apple was in a unique position to lead the industry by taking this step, and we did it without hesitation. This will lead to more frequent and more transparent reporting on our supply chain, which we welcome. These are the kinds of actions our customers expect from Apple, and we will take more of them in the future.
We are focused on educating workers about their rights, so they are empowered to speak up when they see unsafe conditions or unfair treatment. As you know, more than a million people have been trained by our program.
We will continue to dig deeper, and we will undoubtedly find more issues. 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. You can follow our progress at apple.com/supplierresponsibility.
To those within Apple who are tackling these issues every day, you have our thanks and admiration. Your work is significant and it is changing people's lives. We are all proud to work alongside you.
No comments:
Post a Comment