The BBC is set to air an undercover investigation into Apple's supply chain with findings that there were multiple violations of Apple's promises to protect workers. Titled Apple's Broken Promises, BBC Panorama explored both the Pegatron manufacturing facility as well as a tin mine in Indonesia. Apple has responded to the BBC documentary stating that it has done a lot and will continue to do more to maintain worker safety.
At the Pegatron factory in China, BBC noted:
It found standards on workers' hours, ID cards, dormitories, work meetings and juvenile workers were being breached at the Pegatron factories.
Undercover reporters at the factory said:
Exhausted workers were filmed falling asleep on their 12-hour shifts at the Pegatron factories on the outskirts of Shanghai.One undercover reporter, working in a factory making parts for Apple computers, had to work 18 days in a row despite repeated requests for a day off.
Apple responded by saying that it is working to make continuous improvements despite all the work that already has been done:
Apple declined to be interviewed for the programme, but said in a statement: "We are aware of no other company doing as much as Apple to ensure fair and safe working conditions. We work with suppliers to address shortfalls, and we see continuous and significant improvement, but we know our work is never done."
In Indonesia, BBC found:
It found children digging tin ore out by hand in extremely dangerous conditions - miners can be buried alive when the walls of sand or mud collapse.
Apple responded by saying it will continue to work in Indonesia to try to affect change, rather than shy away from tin mined in that country:
"The simplest course of action would be for Apple to unilaterally refuse any tin from Indonesian mines. That would be easy for us to do and would certainly shield us from criticism. But that would also be the lazy and cowardly path, since it would do nothing to improve the situation. We have chosen to stay engaged and attempt to drive changes on the ground."
Source: BBC
