Apple on Monday announced that , at its request , theFair Labor Association(FLA ) will begin particular , voluntary review of Apple ’s final assemblage suppliers — among them Foxconn factories in Shenzhen and Chengdu , China .
The FLA describes itself as “ a collaborative drive of socially responsible for companies , colleges and university , and civil society organizations to meliorate working stipulation in manufactory around the existence . ”
Apple say that a team of confinement right expert , under the leadership of FLA president Auret van Heerden , began review on Monday in Shenzen at Foxconn City . Apple says that FLA will question K of employee about both work and life conditions , touching on topics like health and safety , compensation , play hours , and direction communication . Apple says further that FLA will inspect not just manufacturing areas , but also dormitories and other facilities . FLA will also review documentation for subroutine at all stage of the utilization process .
The FLA will begin post assessment from its inspections on its website in March , Apple said . Later in the spring , similar inspections will take place at the Quanta and Pegatron facilities ; once that ’s fill out the combined inspections will cover more than 90 percent of Apple ’s product forum suppliers .
In January , Apple publish its one-year supplier report card , detail the company ’s own audit of its suppliers ’ facilities — include job found , remedies taken , and , in some cases , supplier relationships terminated . The 2011 report card also included details on Apple ’s specific suppliers , which some saw as being an after - event of Apple ’s having joined the FLA earlier that month . Apple was the first technology fellowship admit to the association .
After Apple fall in the FLA and secrete its most late theme , The New York Timesbegan a multipart series detail what it called the “ human cost ” of build up iPads , iPhones , and other Apple devices . Apple CEO Tim Cook described himself as “ umbrageous ” by the report ; in a companywide email leak to the press , Cook declare that “ any suggestion that we do n’t care [ about work conditions ] is patently false and offensive to us . ”
Apple , of course , is far from the only major engineering company to depend on Foxconn or similar Chinese manufacture plants , thanks to the nation ’s cheap , fast working class . To date , however , Apple ’s competitors have n’t annunciate similar plan for independent , third - party inspection .
