Apple Says Fair Labor Association Will Inspect Suppliers Including Foxconn [View all]

[onehandle]

Apple Inc. (AAPL) said the Fair Labor Association will conduct audits, at its request, of suppliers, including Foxconn Technology Group (FOXCGZ) factories in Shenzhen and Chengdu, China.

The iPhone maker became the first technology company to join the FLA in January, responding to scrutiny of conditions of workers making its gadgets. A team of labor-rights experts began the first inspections today at a facility in plant known as Foxconn City, Apple said today in a statement.

Environmental and human rights groups have criticized Apple for partnering with manufacturers such as Foxconn and for the working conditions and use of unsafe materials to build the iPhone, iPad, iPod and Mac.

As part of its assessment, the FLA will interview thousands of employees about working and living conditions including health and safety, compensation, working hours and communication with management, Apple said in its statement.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-13/apple-says-fair-labor-association-will-inspect-suppliers-including-foxconn.html

None of the dozens and dozens of others who use Foxconn's services have done anything like this.

A partial list of companies who use Foxconn:

Acer Inc.
Amazon.com
ASRock
Asus
Barnes & Noble
Cisco
Dell
EVGA Corporation
Hewlett-Packard
Intel
IBM
Lenovo
Logitech
Microsoft
MSI
Motorola
Netgear
Nintendo
Nokia
Panasonic
Philips
Samsung
Sharp
Sony Ericsson
Toshiba
Vizio