Apple has just published its annual Supplier Responsibility Report, which discusses its contractor compliance code and what it did about violations. Gizmodo has a fun take on the report: it’s all well and good, but there’s no mention of worker suicide, strikes or reporter beatings.
I had a look through the report and it’s kinda maddening. On the one hand, it does speak to genuine effort at enforcing standards. But in typical Apple style, it’s secretive and non-specific. It doesn’t mention any names, dates or details. It’s hard to judge in any independent way whether Apple’s efforts are effective. It’s just too vague.
Yeah, it crows about some numbers, but it’s not like a piece of detailed, independent reporting where you get a good, deep picture becuase of the wealth of detail. It reads like a highly-redacted CIA report about some shady mission that’s too secret to talk about except in the vaguest terms. You just have to take the Apple’s word for it. And although Apple is working with respected, independent organizations like Verite, I’m not sure I do.
See for yourself. Here’s Apple’s full 2010 Supplier Responsibility Progress Report (PDF).
