Who’s to blame for the disastrous roster of health, safety and environmental problems chronicled by Apple’s recently published “Supplier Responsibility 2011 Progress Report“?
In the past year, and especially in the past month, Apple has become associated with the many problems of Chinese manufacturing for two reasons.
First, a string of high-visibility suicides by employees of the Taiwanese contract manufacturing firm Foxconn were universally reported in the media as having occurred “at factories that make iPhones” and other such associations (even though those factories typically make products for many different companies).
And second, Apple’s “Supplier Responsibility” report generated enormous news coverage, and most of it overemphasizing Apple’s role and de-emphasizing the role of other parties.
Media aren’t the only ones associating Apple with Chinese factory problems.
Remember that funny CGI video in which Steve Jobs wears a Darth Vader helmet? In the video, Jobs makes a user’s iPhone 4 antenna work better by slicing off two of his fingers with a lightsaber.
The video was made by a Taiwan-based company called Next Media Animation. The company exists to take a comical slant on current news events. Humor in the videos comes from wild exaggerations of actual events and the literal depiction of both abstract ideas and popular beliefs. As a barometer of public opinion about news stories, it’s as good as anything else out there.
In the Steve Jobs video, the Apple CEO (still wearing his Darth Vader helmet) is shown driving an overly-aggressive “production schedule” as workers are seen falling past the window behind him.
The notion that Apple is responsible for driving factory workers to kill themselves is echoed by various protesters taking action against the treatment of workers at some Chinese factories.
Posters show “bloody Apple” with a red snake coming out of the Apple logo. Steve Jobs with devil horns. The burning of cardboard iPhones in protest. These and other images convey a general sense that Apple is responsible for the Foxconn suicides.
One of the transgressions listed in Apple’s report involved the use at a Wintek plant of a deadly chemical called n-hexane as a faster-drying alternative to alcohol. Some 137 workers reported health problems as a result, according to Apple. The affected workers have lodged a complaint against Wintek, saying they were inadequately compensated for their damaged health and received inadequate protection against future medical bills. They’ve specifically and publicly appealed to Apple to champion their cause. A Reuters report on the issue contrasts Apple’s high profits during the time when workers were being exposed to the chemical.
The problem is that Apple is getting most of the blame for a problem that is not Apple’s alone.
The truth is that Apple is at fault to some degree, sure. But so are the other companies that also manufacture in those same and other factories. So is Foxconn, Wintek and their competitors in China who have similar or worse issues. So is the government of China. So are you and me — the people who buy gadgets based on price, without considering the working conditions of the people who make those cheap devices.
To paraphrase Hillary Clinton, it takes a village to exploit a child.
In order for the many problems to occur in Chinese factories, it requires the government of China, the government of the importing countries, the contracting companies, and the customers to all look the other way while known abuses are taking place inside factories. We’re all guilty. I am. You are. So are the tens of thousands of toy companies, food companies, consumer electronics companies and others who benefit from cheap Chinese manufacturing.
Besides, the alternative for many young Chinese people to working seven days a week in an unsafe factory is unemployment. As horrible as some of these factories are, it’s probably better than desperate poverty with no hope for the future.
The Chinese economic miracle, and the unique political-economic system that sustains it, is fragile, according to the conventional wisdom. Western consumers and politicians are afraid of high prices. The Chinese government and public — as well as global economists — are afraid of slow Chinese growth. The last thing many people want is for Chinese factories to become less competitive, even if that would mean better working conditions. Nobody wants to rock the boat.
The problem is exacerbated by rising wages in China, and the declining availability of workers. Some fear the end is near.
There’s got to be a way for China to keep improving worker health and safety in factories, and transition from the “sweatshop to the world” to a leader in manufacturing that is both humane and sustainable.
Apple’s recent actions, as detailed in the company’s report, is one rare step in this direction. While just about everyone else is hiding under a rock, or pointing fingers at somebody else, Apple is stepping up and making changes.
One partial solution, in fact, is to demand that more companies conduct the kind of auditing and public disclosure that Apple has done. Another is to learn from the report, and demand more independent auditing (now that we know how frequently documents are falsified in China). And a third – and perhaps the most powerful – is for we consumers to start caring more about the working conditions of the people who make the products we buy. And if the truth is either concealed from us or horrifies us, perhaps we should buy something else.
In any event, blaming Apple may feel good, because the company is such a runaway success. But ultimately, Chinese factory woes are everybody’s problem, not just Apple’s.
56 responses to “Why Chinese Factory Abuse Isn’t an ‘Apple Issue’”
“So are you and me — the people who buy gadgets without taking into consideration the working conditions of the people who make them”
Comon! you cant put blame on those end users because they are not aware of whats going on when the products are manufactured. it should begin at the manufacturer itself(FOXCONN)
“…perhaps we should buy something else.”
Why would i Buy something else other than what i wanted to have eh?
Because anyone who purchases a good made by the likes of Foxconn, or any of other countless”sweatshop” manufacturers of India and Asia, perpetuate the problem. If no one bought the goods produced by people working under such deplorable conditions, the issue would not exist. However, the jobs that firms such as Apple have created in the third world provide a crucial step for these people to rise out of $1.25/day poverty. It is one thing to pay low wages to these people, but working in the year 2011 they should not have to suffer from subpar working conditions. It is the responsibility of Apple, Foxconn, and the consumer to see that such practices end.
I have to agree. This is no different than the diamond mines in the Congo.
Apple has a 4hit load of money. They can absolutely afford to help solve many of these issues. Those with the means to do so have a responsibility to help others. Look at Bill Gates and what he is doing with his money and his company. They are working to make the world a better place in almost every possible corner of the world, from medicine to technology and so on. Yeah, you worked hard for your money, but you have a responsibility to help those who can’t help themselves. I have always believed this. Every situation has it’s own conditions, so I’ll grant that this doesn’t apply to everyone, but EVERYONE can help others in some form, even if it’s donating 24 hours of your time once a year, it can be done.
“…perhaps we should buy something else.”
but what if all the “something else” [s] [sic] are just as evil? the fact is all companies needs to pull their bootstraps up and Apple does deserve the blame as they’re the ones making new products which aren’t up to scratch to be wasted as the next crazed Mac head ‘upgrades’ becaue Apple couldn’t design the first version properly in the first place.
One of the better articles I have read here in the last year.
To all people commenter here… think that if no Apple give them job to do… How the worker survive without work to do? Apple is just a client and Foxconn is the Boss in this Factory. Why Blame Apple? Apple can give another Factory to do their product. But if Foxconn no job to do. What do you think about worker? Think before comments. Think with your common sense.
Why just blame Apple? Why not Blame HP and Dell? They all also work together with Foxconn. Just because Apple is the most produce? I think The worker should be happy coz they have job to do is not they have no money. Just blame China Government and Foxconn not Apple, Dell and HP.
And again the fan boy apologists come to Apple’s defense. It’s tolerable when, say, Apple refuses to address a serious issue with its hardware not working as specified. It’s horrifically callous when the apologists do so in matters such as these.
Apple is one chink in a chain of events and companies involved. I suppose they are just following orders or their hands are tied, or any of the usual excuses.
Bottom line, Apple sends their designs overseas to save a buck and pay themselves huge salaries.
If you want to apologize for that, go right ahead. If you want to do something about it, then don’t stand for it.
But, fan boys gimme a break with this Apple isn’t soooo innocent of everything spiel, OK?
Making everyone responsible isn’t correct either. Thats simply not true.
You at least have to know a problem exists before you can be ‘blamed’.
It is perfectly reasonable and correct to assume that a product you buy is made under ‘perfect’ conditions with the ethical standard you expect.
The factory’s that employ the Chineese workers are directly responsible for the situation. They know what the conditions are and what they ask the workers to do.
For example, if I buy a Cannondale bicycle in the U.S., I expect that Cannondale and the transport companies treat the employes well. If not, for example because Cannondale asks the bikes to be cleaned with n-hexane, nobody in his right mind will blame me. In this case Cannondale will be prosecuted and eventually be closed if the problems continue.
This is the way it should work in China too. If this isn’t the case than Chineese government is to blame. In that case our governments should pressure China to uphold the law and to comply to the human rights like the right to have a workers union.
J.
Think of it this way Apple is worth to Foxxconn billions in contracts. If Apple actually approached Terri Gou and mandated he changes his sweatshop practices do you really thing Gou wouldn’t shell out a few million to keep those billions flowing into Foxxconn coffers? If hes any sort of good businessman he would. I think Apple is finally realizing this isn’t going to blow over anytime soon unless they make a very public change. As it is I’m sure enough people have started thinking about leaving the Apple echo system.
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Why would i Buy something else other than what i wanted to have eh?
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Because if enough people make a statement by shutting their wallets and opening them for someone else maybe certain tech companies would finally get a clue.
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Why just blame Apple? Why not Blame HP and Dell?
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They’re all to blame and like the article says the blame rolls right on down to you and me.
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I think The worker should be happy coz they have job to do is not they have no money.
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That’s a very short sighted comment. You should try living a week in those workers shoes then see what you think.
u Shut up! u just a Apple hater. Think of it, example, I’m McDonald customer who give money and buy the food and if McDonald worker suicide do I need to respond? I’m customer I paid for the food and the McDonald company management and the worker problem u blame becoz of too many customers buy McDonald foods? This is nonsense. Think because reply my comment. U ain’t but just a typical Apple hater.
Its not that cut and dry jnjnjn2. Here read this post I put up in another article on here last night.
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The problem with your theory is China is a communist state that allows only limited free markets and limited freedoms for its own population. China learned from its earlier Maoist blunders and the mistakes of the USSR and realized they couldn’t be an island onto themselves when it came to economics. The rulers of China allow big business to operate in their territories so as to create foreign investment and bring from outside their borders much needed hard capitol. The only way they know how to do that is to provide an environment conducive for dirt cheap labor. Where am I going with all this? The point I want people to understand is the Chinese communist state isn’t interested in creating a healthy middle class in certain areas of China. China’s rulers have intentionally kept certain segments of its population impoverished and only passingly educated so that there’s a healthy number of people willing to work dirt cheap at any given time. That’s what attracts Apple, Dell, Samsung, Acer, as well as other sectors of business to China. Its the opportunity for companies to trim their manufacturing costs down from say 35% to only 15 or 10% that brings in all this foreign investment into China. That’s the complete problem, albeit put into simple terms, that people don’t seem to get. The Foxxconn suicides are only one page of the problem in a book that is the size of the NYC phone book.
People seem to think I’m on a I hate Apple rant when I talk Foxxconn when truthfully I’m not. Its true I think Apple has plenty of blame in the matter as well as their competitors but if truth be known Apple and others wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for Western economic, governmental and organized labor incompetence. Add in the fact that the West has traditionally taken a see no evil speak no evil attitude towards human rights issues in the East and its not shocking to me that China over the last two or three decades has become the sweatshop poster boy for big business. The results are China has become a breadbasket for individuals (the communist state) who in my mind hold the same characteristics no better then street thugs and murderers. The most reprehensible problem in this mess is the country of China never had to be used the way it has been. The only reason the thugs (communist state) was able to survive in its early days was because the outside world didn’t care and in some instances even quietly supported the thugs who quietly marched off all their political opponents into jails if not into the front of a firing squad. Because the communist state has now been in power for so long the problem has become 1000 times more complicated and removing the thugs from power is that much harder for the simple reason they’ve anchored themselves into every facet of everyday life. In short Chinese society has become so reliant on the communist state because they’ve been in power for so long society has begun to forget how any semblance of democracy could ever exist in China. You only have to research some of the problems the Russians had/still have trying to function as a quasi democracy since the USSR fell apart to see what I mean. As much as I hate to say it China is slowly becoming the modern day Metropolis from Fritz Lang’s film.
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Those huge paragraphs I wrote are a very simplified explanation to the problems of human rights violations in Asia. Of coarse that’s how I perceive it.
@Mike Elgan
I give you full kudos on your article. Very well written and thought out and you made even me stop and think and feel ashamed. It’s not only about Apple and Foxxconn the problem is so much bigger and encompasses the direct and indirect actions of so many more people from the West right into the third world. Keep writing Mr Elgan I anxiously await to see what else you have available.
A great article, by someone who knows how things work. The best comments are made by someone writing in Chineese grammar English (@aramishero) who also understands, Apple has no business in Foxconn’s manufacturing and asks us to stay out of his country’s operations.
Easy there dude I’m seriously the last guy you want to piss off on here. Before you go all haywire hear me out.
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U ain’t but just a typical Apple hater.
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First: I couldn’t care less what you use as a computer that’s your business not mine.
Secondly: I don’t use the handle iHate because I hate Apple. You see I’m a regular on this site. Traditionally I rarely post on COM though but I started because of all the less then pleasant things some people were saying on here concerning the mistreatment of the Foxxconn workers. You see I’m the kind of guy who likes tech and my friends they’re the same way. We also discuss a lot of stuff we see on these sites COM being one of them. Do you know what many average people think of Mac enthusiasts due to some of the less then pleasant comments some people have posted pertaining to Foxxconn? Let me enlighten you many people now think that a lot of Apple fans are full of hate. When I use the handle iHate I’m not insulting Apple or even people who like Apple I’m insulting the ignorant people who post cruel comments pertaining to the foxxconn suicides. You see I don’t care that someone is an enthusiast involving whatever product it may be but when these so called “enthusiasts” make crude and hurtful statements concerning hard working poor people because they just enjoy being cruel that’s just wrong, matter of fact its reprehensible.
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Think of it, example, I’m McDonald customer who give money and buy the food and if McDonald worker suicide do I need to respond? I’m customer I paid for the food and the McDonald company management and the worker problem u blame becoz of too many customers buy McDonald foods? This is nonsense. Think because reply my comment.
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Thirdly:If that McDonald’s manager abuses his workers manipulates them and steals from them to the point that someone loses all hope and jumps off a building then its that managers fault. If McDonald’s does something about that manager then they’re not at fault. If they choose to ignore the problem then they are also at fault. If me or you know whats happening at that McDonald’s and we turn around and tell the McDonald’s head office we’re not eating at that McDonald’s or any other McDonald’s anymore because of that manager then we’ve tried to do something about the problem but if we just decide to do nothing about it and keep taking our money to that manager and that McDonald’s restaurant then we share in the guilt.
This world has become a small world because of technology and everything society does we share its effects as a whole. If we don’t take care of one another we might as well just all jump off a roof. We’re all people and we all deserve to be respected as people.
It doesn’t help to confuse the problem. The chain of responsibility stays the same no matter what the circumstances are. The employer is directly responsible for the workers; if (human) rights are violated he (she) should be prosecuted and the company should be closed if the violation continues. Chinese law enforcement should take care of that. If the law doesn’t work – or isn’t in place – the problem has to be addressed on human rights and government level.
Large corporations like Apple have an indirect responsibility too when they are aware of the problem (or should be aware of the problem); they could pressure the violating companies to improve the workers situation. But they cannot introduce law (like the right to start a union), that has to be addressed by the Chinese themselves. And can only be pressured via human right organizations and governments, as I said above.
The buyer (of Apple products) has a responsibility if he knows of the problem (or should know of the problem) and Apple doesn’t act on it or the situation doesn’t improve. But this is very difficult because the buyer is most of the time ‘the least in the know’. How to judge the scarce information you get. Its almost impossible to do. So unless you buy goods directly produced in Europe and possibly the U.S. and all raw materials are local and all in between production processes and transport is done in the West, you better not do it.
Thats completely unworkable, I think I know no products with that qualification.
I think Apple takes its responsibility seriously and has done that way before some sentimental self righteous people after a trip to China began to point a finger at Apple (while making a living of it). I think Apple can be trusted in this matter, not only because I trust the people who run Apple, but also because it could be very counterproductive if the problems escalate.
If Apple cannot improve the situation, production will be shifted to other areas like Brazil for example. This will certainly be a disaster for a million or more Chinese workers.
J.
Everyone’s been so busy pointing the finger at Apple there’s been no time to compare the suicide rate at Foxconn to the baseline for PRC. According to WHO (http://www.who.int/mental_heal…, suicide rates are 14.8 and 13.0 per 100,000 per year for women and men, respectively. In 2010 when they had 500,000+ employees (now over 1 million) and 14 suicides, the expected suicide count would have been 70 (using avg rate of 14 per 100,000/yr). So in fact, working at Foxconn lowers suicide risk by 80%.
I too am for better employee conditions. But before you judge, ask questions and understand the issues. Before you condemn Apple and call for boycotts, think what will happen to the suicide rate in the hundreds of thousands of laid off workers if everyone stopped buying Foxconn products?
David Ahn
I see you care about the problem. But you’re not the only one.
From the last part of your comment I see we agree.
J.
I wonder why Apple is to blame ( or any other corporation like HP or Dell ). The Foxconn manager is to blame. The Foxconn itself is to blame – i don’t understand why different people are trying to push the responsibility to the customers like Apple.
“Besides, the alternative for many young Chinese people to working seven days a week in an unsafe factory is unemployment. As horrible as some of these factories are, it’s probably better than desperate poverty with no hope for the future.”
I don’t think you can use this as an argument for supporting unsafe factories in developing countries.
If Apple and others employ these 3rd party suppliers in order to manufacture parts then they have a responsibility to ensure that they are up to a minimum acceptable standard. If Foxconn, Wintek etc. are not up to scratch then Apple et. al. should either switch suppliers or apply pressure on these companies to improve conditions (even if this means paying them more).
The negative media coverage of Apple shows that it is possible to be blamed whole sale for the wrong of these suppliers so mitigating this by ensuring acceptable standards should be a given. Especially for a company that advertises its environmental credentials as a positive selling point. Emphasizing its ethical credentials seems like a sensible move.
What is happening in China and in several third world countries is slavery. The rest of the world gives a d…. Big deal… everything was, is and will be in this way forever. All the bla bla bla is just hypocrisy. No one really cares. While americans and europeans are able to buy their toys, everything is all right and the rest is just the rest. Someone in USA or Europe is really concerned about the slaves in China or any other place? HA!! HA!! HA!!
iHate comes off like he might actually know what he is talking about but in fact, when you read his posts, you realize that he has no idea whatsoever what is really going on here in China and is a clueless abusive foulmouthed halfwit. He knows nothing about the life of the average worker in China, the economics or living conditions of the average Chinese. And even though he has absolutely no clue whatsoever as to what it is really like here, he seems to want to be the judge, jury and executioner for all things China. The reality is that although the suicides in question are tragic, the suicide rate at this Foxconn factory, really a city of hundreds of thousands of workers, is far lower than that of the US. So maybe he should be pointing his hate at the mess in the US. Further, his total inability to understand that this is still a country of 800 million peasant farmers, and that these workers in question are provided lodging, recreation facilities, meals, healthcare and a living wage, and have the ability to quit these jobs and find a better one at any time, doesn’t seem to matter to iHate because he has already made up his mind that his wallowing in ignorance somehow makes him a better person and a better judge of the situation. So sad that so many in the US have become mini-Glen Becks. Yes, worker abuse shouldn’t be tolerated and working conditions should be improved. The reality is they are and they will continue to do so. Apple is out in front of this situation and will continue to show leadership on this front for the betterment of these workers.
Don’t forget Cisco. Open a Cisco router and read that label on the mother board. Or let’s blame Benjamin Franklin. Electricity makes it all possible. Or, why stop there? Let’s blame everything that ever happened that allowed any event to lead to today.
Or let us use our minds here and realize that we all have a choice including the Foxconn workers. If they need help, let the ones who are in control of these people’s destiny make wiser choices. Whether or not I buy an Apple product or a gallon of milk, someone in the chain had to ‘work’ harder than they wanted to or had no choice because of their own needs. This is called life from the beginning of time. Discover history.
Life was never easy for anyone (even the rich) it’s tough in many aspects. Make the best of it. Choose your path wisely.
Several commenters took issue with the general concept of buying with consideration for working conditions.
Let me suggest an even broader concept to think about.
If you look around at the products and services selected mainly on price — and of course cell phones don’t fall into this category — you’ll see that the products and services involved always turn to shit.
Look at air travel. People use online tools to find the lowest price to their destinations, and use that as the only criteria. As a direct, flying has become unpleasant. Ticket, gate and cabin crew are rude. They charge you for bottled water. The food is horrible. The seats are cramped. It sucks. Why? Because they know we all just want the lowest prices. We pay with our discomfort, rather than our money.
Look at food. Many people use lowest price as the main criteria for food. And look at our food. It’s processed industrial denatured crap.
The delusion is that if we get fantastically low prices on everything, our lives will be better because we can afford things. But the reality is that low prices just lower the quality of everything and motivates us to buy more quantity. Our lives ended up bloated with garbage. We hold cheapness above all other criteria, and so our lives become filled with cheapness.
Back to consumer electronics. Phones and computers are incredibly cheap, when you consider what we’re actually getting. But low prices are arrived at only through the misery of workers on the other side of the planet. And when we get bored, and go after the newest cheap thing, we “recycle” the old thing — hey, it was cheap anyway — and off it goes back to China to be disassembled by some poor kid who will get mercury poisoning. Why a kid in China? Because it’s the cheapest way to deal with our eJunk.
The bottom line is that cheap prices make other things cheap, too. They make our lives cheap. They make the lives of workers in China cheap.
Maybe a better way is for us to care about quality of goods, services and the lives of workers enough to pay more for stuff, and buy less of it.
I’m just sayin’.
freerange you’re a ignorant fascist. Just go away the smart people are trying to have a conversation. Go give your trophy wife a call and push some more paper on your desk. Oh and by the way I’m not American. There are people outside of the US who have an opinion you ignorant fool.
@Mike Elgan
My view is as follows:
Lets say those workers actually got a raise and benefits etc and the cost of an iPhone went up 100 bucks or even maybe 150. Is paying that extra 100 or 150 for that product truly the end of the world? Some people in here upgrade their iphones, every year and their Macs laptops etc every two years. These are the people who worry the most about prices and personally I think its silly. If these people are so concerned about money why upgrade an iPhone every year when it can easily last you 2 years no problem. Same goes for their Macs upgrade less and use your products for a longer span of time. Its not like Apple doesn’t build products that can’t withstand a longer life cycle then the average electronics.
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@Mike great post, Mike. You really got me thinking… it makes sense. People is focusing more and more in cheap prices rather than quality, and competitive prices impulse companies to save money to stay in the market…I had not thought it that way. It is easy to blame the company but the problem gets deeper… Products and company sometimes is just the society mirror…
I appreciate this perspective, though I think it’s a mistake to lay equal blame on governments, consumers, the factory, other companies, and Apple. Apple is the most visible of these companies, and a factory (as well as a government) is much more likely to follow Apple’s lead than another company, a consumer, etc. So while, yes, responsibility DOES lie with us the consumers, Apple has more to potential to directly influence worker conditions, and so should be held more accountable in my opinion.
Also, the statement “it’s probably better than desperate poverty with no hope for the future” just never works, it’s a bit of a cop-out.
While I have the above problems with the article, I agree with it in general, and appreciate the author’s call for all consumers to be more conscious of how the things they buy are made. A good read.
Great post below the article, Mike. Re: our food, have you read Eating Animals? All about the demand for cheap meat and how it’s at the root of many major problems today. Anyway I digress — you’re right on about America’s obsession with cheapness, and the fact that things are never as cheap as they seem, as we pay in other ways. Thanks for this thought-provoking outlook!