Der Frage ist die Mail on Sunday nachgegangen und die MacWorld UK berichtet (via netzpolitik.org). Die Antwort ist nicht wirklich überraschend, oft genug wurde berichtet, wie High-Tech-Produkte in Niedriglohnländern unter äußerst unschönen Bedingungen gefertigt werden. Schreibt auch die MacWorld UK am nede des Beitrags:
Apple is just one of thousands of companies that now use Chinese facilities to manufacture its products, the report observes. Low wages, long hours and China’s industrial secrecy make the country attractive to business, particularly as increased competition and consumer expectations force companies to deliver products at attractive prices.
Von Apple gibt es eine Stellungnahme (via fscklog):
“Apple is committed to ensuring that working conditions in our supply chain are safe, workers are treated with respect and dignity, and manufacturing processes are environmentally responsible,” the statement explains.
The company also explains that it is “currently investigating the allegations regarding working conditions in the iPod manufacturing plant in China”.
Apple stresses that: “It does not tolerate any violations of its supplier code of conduct, which is posted online”.
This code is modelled on the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct and can be downloaded as a PDF here.
“Recognised standards such as International Labour Organisation Standards (ILO), Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Social Accountability International (SAI), and the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) were used as references in preparing this code,” the company says on its website.
Eine Chance für Apple zu zeigen, dass sie es mit ihrem doch recht hohen Anspruch auch wirklich ernst meinen…
Update 19.06.06: Inzwischen scheint der vollständige Artikel (ohne Fotos) online zu sein (via fscklog).