Apple Finds No Forced Labor at iPod Factory in South China

A team of investigators sent by Apple Computer to review practices at a factory in the Chinese city of Longhua found no evidence of child or forced labor. The group conducted 100 interviews with randomly selected workers, combed through thousands of documents and investigated the factory site run by Foxconn, a Taiwan-based company. The Apple report did, however, identify several violations of the company’s code of conduct, including employees exceeding the maximum number of work hours per week and cramped conditions in a dormitory. In response, Foxconn is building new dormitories, and Apple has enlisted the nonprofit auditing and research organization Verité to continue monitoring the situation. Apple enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy on harsh treatment, so iPod users can continue listening to music with a clear conscience. – YaleGlobal