Apple recently released their 2012 Supplier Responsibility Progress Report which details their iPad 3 and other iDevices component suppliers. It lists the human rights and environmental violations each is responsible for. The list includes, what Apple states is 97%, of their component production. This includes all components used for the iPad 3, iPhone, iPod, Macbook etc.
Apple claims to have completed more audits then ever, completing a total of 229 all along the production line. During the audit Apple educated employees and companies on many different important issues. These issues ranged from workers rights to on the job safety and inspections. As would likely be expected the audits of this many companies, and 100 first time audits, unearthed some unpleasant findings.
Audits of the iPad 3 production line discovered workers using unsafe machinery, waste water being dumped at a farm, the forging of payroll records, and even a company in China administering pregnancy tests to employees. The worst issue of course is the use of child labor in the production line. Apple still reports to finding underage workers in multiple plants, which is against their zero tolerance policy. They do however report that there are zero underage workers doing the final assembly on the iPad 3 or other iDevices in production. Apple would like to increase the efforts to reduce underage workers in the other component facilities. This of course is the goal of many companies, but Apple is making a valiant effort by conducting these audits. With time we can hope that theiPad 3 and future iDevices are produced in safe conditions by employees that are of age.
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