Green group accuses Apple of lax supplier oversight

[zalbard]

Source: http://www.reuters.com/

(Reuters) - iPhone maker Apple was criticized by Chinese green groups for lax corporate oversight of its suppliers in China, leading to poor environmental and work safety standards that poisoned dozens of factory workers.

Apple, which announced blockbuster profits and a dazzling outlook for iPhone and iPad sales earlier this week, continues to be dogged by accusations of aggressive pricing and secretive supply chain management in Chinese factories where they now assemble most of their products.

"We've found that Apple isn't honoring its commitment in ensuring its supply chain's work safety and environmental responsibility and giving dignity and respect to the workers," said Ma Jun, of the Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs (IPE) which published a detailed report on Apple supply chain malpractice Thursday, in conjunction with other green groups.

"(Apple) only care about the price and quality (of their products) and not the environmental and social responsibility issues. In some ways they drive the suppliers to cut corners to win their contracts," Ma said.

Apple said it had a rigorous auditing regime and all its suppliers were monitored and investigated regularly.

"Our supplier responsibility reports document the progress of our extensive auditing program since 2006," an Apple spokeswoman said.

FOXCONN SUICIDES

Last year, Apple's main China supplier Foxconn was hit by over a dozen worker suicides that critics blamed on harsh factory conditions and a militaristic culture. Apple's CEO Steve Jobs has denied the allegations, saying that Foxconn is not a sweatshop.

Many Western multinationals -- including toymaker Mattel which suffered a toxic lead paint scandal in 2007 -- have struggled to regulate product quality across scores of suppliers in knotted Chinese supply chains, but the report said Apple's standards fell far short of its status as a leading global brand.

"It's not easy to control (the supply chain) but peer brands are doing a lot more (than Apple) to deal with this," said Ma.

The nine-month survey "The other face of Apple" found that at least 49 factory workers in eastern China working in factories assembling products for Apple, had fallen ill.

Lianjian Technology in the eastern city of Suzhou which the green group claims is one of Apple's major touchscreen suppliers, was accused of using N-Hexane, a toxic solvent, to clean touch screens, leading to at least 47 factory workers being poisoned.

Another company named by the green group as a user of N-Hexane was Taiwan-based touchscreen chip maker Wintek. A Wintek spokesman said it had stopped using the chemical and all its employees had recovered.

"Apple's lack of responsiveness eventually made us quite shocked. It's the whole complacency that it doesn't have to be accountable to the NGOs, to the communities, even to the poisoned workers," Ma told Reuters.

At least Foxconn attempted to do something. This is just

[Calmatory]

Rotten Apple in the spotlight once again. Haven't we heard about this stuff like every couple pf months?

[StalkingButcher]

If God is dying should not his creations and subjects suffer also?

[brickout]

^No.

[NEOAethyr]

Eh some bad news...
To bad 99% of the population probably won't hear a darn thing about this.

[NanoBullet]

sorry but i would say 99.99% doesn't know a damn thing about this.

[masterg]

because they don't care. all they want is their brand new iPad or iHasthisnewtoy.

[highoctane]

I don't know, is it apples total fault fault or lack of health regulations for the people in that country in general.

How many people around here bother to research the conditions under which things they use and consume everyday are actually produced.

[NEOAethyr]

Well china is pretty crazy in that kind respect.

[Kallenator]

I don't know, is it apples total fault fault or lack of health regulations for the people in that country in general.

How many people around here bother to research the conditions under which things they use and consume everyday are actually produced.

I do something, I don't ruin the consumer items I buy new, I keep as good as I can and sell them second hand. This way at least I in someway respect the blood and sweat that probably went into it from the other side of the world.

Well china is pretty crazy in that kind respect.

So taking advantage of this is ok? You did not imply that at all, but its easy to twist it that way. =)

[NEOAethyr]

I had a phone call so I couldn't finish my post , I had alot more typed but del'ed and posted the 1st line.

What I've seen of china in pics and stories is some crazy messed up stuff.
I would never eat in that country that's for sure.
I'de eat bugs before eating anything else there.

And that's nothing compared to what else I've found out about that country.

Imagine one day your driving along and go across this bridge, all the sudden it collapses because it's made of styrofoam and garbage pieced together with cement ^^.

Want to eat something fried?, I think it was 70%(at least) of all there cooking oil is strained sewage, not filtered in any other way.

Selling human hair as ingrediants for soy.
Ever hear of the ocean of garbage ^^ ?
Black skies in some areas.
Gabage stacked along the walkways of buildings on every level.

If they want to remove a building and build something else, they tell you to move, if you don't, they find ways to make your life .
Like digging a 20ft trench around the building.

I think I said enough...

No disrepect to the chinese people intended.
Even though sure this post would offend if one saw it.
They'de probably deny it all too.
A pic says a 1000 words but you guys don't wanna see that stuff, I'm not trying to turn this into a chinese hate thread of any kind at all.

I'm just saying it's a very bad place to be.
At least some areas of it is.

The news in the 1st post in this thread is like everyday life there.
It makes me wonder if we are somewhat responcible for it.

[Nikolasz]

I know, and i believe, and i live in my point of believe that world economy crysis and not somthing to take advantages of any ppl.
Someone takes human rights, and blaim world crysis and not him self !!

[clo007]

well tell American companies to stop outsourcing work to other countries...oh wait, that means CEOs won't get huge salaries and bonuses anymore

[T_M]

@NEO, have you ever been to or lived in China? Or any other country than your own for that matter?

[highoctane]

[QUOTE]

If they want to remove a building and build something else, they tell you to move, if you don't, they find ways to make your life .
Like digging a 20ft trench around the building.

Two words for you, eminent domain, and pretty much every country will do this if need be.

I'm just saying it's a very bad place to be.
At least some areas of it is.

The news in the 1st post in this thread is like everyday life there.
It makes me wonder if we are somewhat responcible for it.

There's plenty of slums, murder, robbery, poverty, bridge collapses, food contamination, oil & chemical spills, job site osha violations, etc around you.

Minnesota bridge collapse, katrina aftermath, ecoli and salmonella food contamination & recalls, gulf oil spill, toxic coal sludge flood in tennessee, etc.

[hecktic]

couldnt have come at a better time... apple stock trading really low....

[Aberration]

Change the laws, dont blame Apple.

[Bigchrome]

If a factory is technically competent enough to produce touchscreens, they should know better than to clean things with toxic products!

Apple shouldn't have to watch over these companies like they were toddlers, shouting "no, bold!" whenever the kid tries to put a marble in his mouth.

[Frodin]

@NEO, have you ever been to or lived in China? Or any other country than your own for that matter?

Obviously he has not been to China, at least not the same China that I just toured for 2 weeks 11 days ago

[imamage]

I had a phone call so I couldn't finish my post , I had alot more typed but del'ed and posted the 1st line.

What I've seen of china in pics and stories is some crazy messed up stuff.
I would never eat in that country that's for sure.
I'de eat bugs before eating anything else there.

And that's nothing compared to what else I've found out about that country.

Imagine one day your driving along and go across this bridge, all the sudden it collapses because it's made of styrofoam and garbage pieced together with cement ^^.

Want to eat something fried?, I think it was 70%(at least) of all there cooking oil is strained sewage, not filtered in any other way.

Selling human hair as ingrediants for soy.
Ever hear of the ocean of garbage ^^ ?
Black skies in some areas.
Gabage stacked along the walkways of buildings on every level.

If they want to remove a building and build something else, they tell you to move, if you don't, they find ways to make your life .
Like digging a 20ft trench around the building.

I think I said enough...

No disrepect to the chinese people intended.
Even though sure this post would offend if one saw it.
They'de probably deny it all too.
A pic says a 1000 words but you guys don't wanna see that stuff, I'm not trying to turn this into a chinese hate thread of any kind at all.

I'm just saying it's a very bad place to be.
At least some areas of it is.

The news in the 1st post in this thread is like everyday life there.
It makes me wonder if we are somewhat responcible for it.

FYI , Hong Kong is part of China now
but Nothing you mentioned happen here

[naokaji]

If a factory is technically competent enough to produce touchscreens, they should know better than to clean things with toxic products!

Wrong, they are competent, they are competent in maximizing their Customers profits which is why Companies like Apple choose them over other Suppliers.

[NEOAethyr]

No I haven't been to china.
I have seen alot of news and pics about it.

I don't know enough to say what life is like there.
But no chemical regulation, can probably add up, and things like this can happen in the work place.
Happens around here too.


I think it's nasty that for city water to have the intake by there sewage around I live...
I don't have city water and I don't have water with dioxin in it either (there's that in mi too).

I thaught using sewage for cooking oil article in china was f@cked up.
That's not oil you want to be using for cooking lol...

The garbage bridge I thaught was funny...

[FischOderAal]

There are green groups in China?

[DeltZ]

I'm sorry but hair isn't a constituent of soy and neither is sewage a constituant of oil. It's like saying that china adds tissue boxes to make your i7.
It simply makes too little sense to be afraid of it as a widespread problem.

[highoctane]

There are green groups in China?

Sure, the ones glowing from the toxic waste!