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Tim Cook ‘deeply offended’ by BBC’s allegations of factory worker mistreatment

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Tim Cook ‘deeply offended’ by BBC’s allegations of factory worker mistreatment

An undercover documentary released yesterday by the BBC about working conditions in Pegatron’s iPhone factories has reportedly sent CEO Tim Cook and the rest of Apple’s executive team through the roof, The Telegraph reported Friday.

The programme has “deeply offended” Apple’s CEO Tim Cook and senior vice president of operations Jeff Williams because it shows that the company has misled its customers and broken a promise made to its supply chain workers, which is not the case.

In his email to the entire U.K. staff of Apple, Williams stats that the Cupertino company had already shared many “facts and perspective” with BBC in advance, but they were “clearly missing from their program.” William assures that Apple is doing more than any other company out there to make sure that its supply chain workers get a “fair and safe working conditions.”

“Panorama’s report implied that Apple isn’t improving working conditions,” Cook said. “Let me tell you, nothing could be further from the truth.”

And here’s the unofficial YouTube version of the controversial documentary by BBC’s Panorama programme, titled ‘Apple’s Broken Promises’ and running 38 minutes and 40 seconds long.

“We know of no other company doing as much as Apple does to ensure fair and safe working conditions, to discover and investigate problems, to fix and follow through when issues arise, and to provide transparency into the operations of our suppliers,” Williams said.

Seen below: a scene from the documentary showing workers sleeping on the iPhone production line at the Pegatron facility.

Below is the full email sent by Williams to Apple employees in the U.K.:

UK Team,
As you know, Apple is dedicated to the advancement of human rights and equality around the world. We are honest about the challenges we face and we work hard to make sure that people who make our products are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.
Last night, the BBC’s Panorama program called those values into question. Like many of you, Tim and I were deeply offended by the suggestion that Apple would break a promise to the workers in our supply chain or mislead our customers in any way.
I’d like to give you facts and perspective, all of which we shared with the BBC in advance, but were clearly missing from their program.
Panorama showed some of the shocking conditions around tin mining in Indonesia. Apple has publicly stated that tin from Indonesia ends up in our products, and some of that tin likely comes from illegal mines. Here are the facts:
Tens of thousands of artisanal miners are selling tin through many middlemen to the smelters who supply to component suppliers who sell to the world. The government is not addressing the issue, and there is widespread corruption in the undeveloped supply chain. Our team visited the same parts of Indonesia visited by the BBC, and of course we are appalled by what’s going on there.
Apple has two choices: We could make sure all of our suppliers buy tin from smelters outside of Indonesia, which would probably be the easiest thing for us to do and would certainly shield us from criticism. But it would be the lazy and cowardly path, because it would do nothing to improve the situation for Indonesian workers or the environment since Apple consumes a tiny fraction of the tin mined there. We chose the second path, which is to stay engaged and try to drive a collective solution.
We spearheaded the creation of an Indonesian Tin Working Group with other technology companies. Apple is pushing to find and implement a system that holds smelters accountable so we can influence artisanal mining in Indonesia. It could be an approach such as “bagging and tagging” legally mined material, which has been successful over time in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We are looking to drive similar results in Indonesia, which is the right thing to do.
Panorama also made claims about our commitment to working conditions in our factories. We know of no other company doing as much as Apple does to ensure fair and safe working conditions, to discover and investigate problems, to fix and follow through when issues arise, and to provide transparency into the operations of our suppliers.
I want you to know that more than 1400 of your Apple coworkers are stationed in China to manage our manufacturing operations. They are in the factories constantly — talented engineers and managers who are also compassionate people, trained to speak up when they see safety risks or mistreatment. We also have a team of experts dedicated solely to driving compliance with our Supplier Code of Conduct across our vast supply chain.
In 2014 alone, our Supplier Responsibility team completed 630 comprehensive, in-person audits deep into our supply chain. These audits include face-to-face interviews with workers, away from their managers, in their native language. Sometimes critics point to the discovery of problems as evidence that the process isn’t working. The reality is that we find violations in every audit we have ever performed, no matter how sophisticated the company we’re auditing. We find problems, we drive improvement, and then we raise the bar.
Panorama’s report implied that Apple isn’t improving working conditions. Let me tell you, nothing could be further from the truth. Here are just a few examples:
Several years ago, the vast majority of workers in our supply chain worked in excess of 60 hours, and 70+ hour workweeks were typical. After years of slow progress and industry excuses, Apple decided to attack the problem by tracking the weekly hours of over one million workers, driving corrective actions with our suppliers and publishing the results on our website monthly — something no other company had ever done. It takes substantial effort, and we have to weed out false reporting, but it’s working. This year, our suppliers have achieved an average of 93% compliance with our 60-hour limit. We can still do better. And we will.
Our auditors were the first to identify and crack down on a ring of unscrupulous labor brokers who were holding workers’ passports and forcing them to pay exorbitant fees. To date, we have helped workers recoup $20 million in excessive payments like these.
We’ve gone far beyond auditing and corrective actions by creating educational programs for workers in the same facilities where they make our products. More than 750,000 people have taken advantage of these college-level courses and enrichment programs, and the feedback we get from students is inspiring.
I will not dive into every issue raised by Panorama in this note, but you can rest assured that we take all allegations seriously, and we investigate every claim. We know there are a lot of issues out there, and our work is never done. We will not rest until every person in our supply chain is treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.
If you’d like to learn more about our Supplier Responsibility program, I encourage you and our customers to visit our website at apple.com/supplierresponsibility.
Thanks for your time and your support.
Jeff

An undercover documentary launched the day before today by the BBC approximately running prerequisites in Pegatron’s iPhone factories has reportedly despatched CEO Tim Cook and the remaining of Apple’s government staff in the course of the roof, The Telegraph reported Friday.

The programme has “deeply angry” Apple’s CEO Tim Cook and senior vice chairman of operations Jeff Williams as it presentations that the corporate has misled its consumers and damaged a promise made to its provide chain staff, which isn't the case.

In his e mail to all of the G.P. group of workers of Apple, Williams stats that the Cupertino corporate had already shared many “data and viewpoint” with BBC prematurely, however they have been “obviously lacking from their software.” William assures that Apple is doing greater than another corporate in the market to ensure that its provide chain staff get a “truthful and protected running prerequisites.”

“Panorama’s document implied that Apple isn’t making improvements to running prerequisites,” Cook stated. “Let me inform you, not anything may well be farther from the reality.”

And right here’s the unofficial YouTube model of the arguable documentary by BBC’s Panorama programme, titled ‘Apple’s Broken Promises’ and operating 38 mins and 40 seconds lengthy.


“We understand of no different corporate doing up to Apple does to make sure truthful and protected running prerequisites, to find and check out issues, to mend and apply thru while problems get up, and to offer transparency into the operations of our providers,” Williams stated.

Seen under: a scene from the documentary appearing staff slumbering at the iPhone manufacturing line on the Pegatron facility.


Below is the whole e-mail despatched by Williams to Apple workers within the G.P.:
UK Team,
As you recognize, Apple is devoted to the development of human rights and equality around the globe. We are fair concerning the demanding situations we are facing and we paintings onerous to ensure that individuals who make our merchandise are handled with the respect and recognize they deserve.
Last night time, the BBC’s Panorama software referred to as the ones values into query. Like many of you, Tim and A have been deeply angry by the recommendation that Apple may holiday a promise to the employees in our provide chain or lie to our consumers whatsoever.
S’d love to come up with information and viewpoint, all of which we shared with the BBC prematurely, however have been obviously lacking from their software.
Panorama confirmed a few of the surprising prerequisites round tin mining in Indonesia. Apple has publicly said that tin from Indonesia results in our merchandise, and a few of that tin most probably comes from unlawful mines. Here are the data:
Tens of heaps of artisanal miners are promoting tin thru many middlemen to the smelters who provide to element providers who promote to the arena. The executive isn't addressing the problem, and there's in style corruption within the undeveloped provide chain. Our staff visited the similar portions of Indonesia visited by the BBC, and of path we're appalled by what’s happening there.
Apple has possible choices: We may just make sure that all of our providers purchase tin from smelters out of doors of Indonesia, which might most likely be the very best factor for us to do and might for sure defend us from complaint. But it will be the lazy and cowardly trail, as a result of it will do not anything to fortify the location for Indonesian staff or the surroundings due to the fact Apple consumes a tiny fraction of the tin mined there. We selected the second one trail, that is to stick engaged and take a look at to pressure a collective answer.
We spearheaded the advent of an Indonesian Tin Working Group with different generation firms. Apple is pushing to seek out and put in force a gadget that holds smelters responsible so we will be able to affect artisanal mining in Indonesia. It may well be an method equivalent to “bagging and tagging” legally mined subject matter, which has been a success over the years within the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We wish to force equivalent ends up in Indonesia, that is the appropriate factor to do.
Panorama additionally made claims approximately our dedication to running prerequisites in our factories. We understand of no different corporate doing up to Apple does to make sure truthful and protected running prerequisites, to find and look at issues, to mend and apply thru while problems rise up, and to offer transparency into the operations of our providers.
A need you to understand that greater than 1400 of your Apple coworkers are stationed in China to regulate our production operations. They are within the factories continuously — gifted engineers and bosses who're additionally compassionate other folks, educated to talk up once they see protection dangers or mistreatment. We even have a group of mavens devoted only to compelling compliance with our Supplier Code of Conduct throughout our huge provide chain.
In 2014 on my own, our Supplier Responsibility group finished 630 complete, in-individual audits deep into our provide chain. These audits come with face-to-face interviews with staff, clear of their managers, of their local language. Sometimes critics aspect to the invention of issues as proof that the method isn’t running. The fact is that we discover violations in each and every audit we've got ever carried out, regardless of how refined the corporate we’re auditing. We in finding issues, we force development, after which we lift the bar.
Panorama’s document implied that Apple isn’t making improvements to running prerequisites. Let me inform you, not anything may well be farther from the reality. Here are only a few examples:
Several years in the past, the overwhelming majority of staff in our provide chain labored in extra of 60 hours, and 70+ hour workweeks have been conventional. After years of sluggish growth and business excuses, Apple made up our minds to assault the issue by monitoring the weekly hours of over a million staff, riding corrective movements with our providers and publishing the effects on our website online per thirty days — one thing no different corporate had ever performed. It takes really extensive attempt, and we need to weed out fake reporting, nevertheless it’s running. This yr, our providers have accomplished a standard of 93% compliance with our 60-hour restrict. We can nonetheless do higher. And we will be able to.
Our auditors have been the primary to spot and crack down on a hoop of unscrupulous hard work agents who have been retaining staff’ passports and forcing them to pay exorbitant charges. To date, we have now helped staff recoup $20 million in over the top bills like those.
We’ve long past a long way past auditing and corrective movements by developing instructional systems for staff in the similar amenities the place they make our merchandise. More than 750,000 folks have taken merit of those school-degree classes and enrichment systems, and the comments we get from scholars is inspiring.
S won't dive into each and every factor raised by Panorama on this observe, however you'll be able to relax confident that we take all allegations critically, and we inspect each and every declare. We realize there are many of problems in the market, and our paintings is rarely performed. We won't relax till each and every individual in our provide chain is handled with the honour and dignity they deserve.
If you’d like to be informed extra approximately our Supplier Responsibility software, S inspire you and our consumers to discuss with our site at apple.com/supplierresponsibility.
Thanks in your time and your improve.
Jeff
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