Apple has released its annual Supplier Responsibility Report, a report conducted each year by the company to ensure good working conditions for its factory workers employed overseas.
An important highlight of this year’s report is that Apple has confirmed for the first time that all of the Tantalum it uses is being ethically sourced, and not being taken from war-torn zones in areas such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo where the minerals help fund conflict and human rights abuse.
Tantalum is one of the major metals used in the production of its products.
In January 2014, we confirmed that all active, identified tantalum smelters in Apple’s supply chain were validated as conflict-free by third-party auditors, and we will continue to require all suppliers to use only verified tantalum sources. We know supply chains fluctuate, and we’ll maintain ongoing monitoring of our suppliers’ smelters. Another highlight of the report was Apple’s success in raising its factory compliance rate to 95% when it comes to enforcing its maximum 60 hour work week.
You can read all the highlights of Apple’s report on its website here.
