Supplier Responsibility Report outlines Apple’s pandemic response
Apple has shared its 2020 Supplier Responsibility progress report, and it includes a letter that explains the details of how Apple is going to be in-creasing its safety and protection of its supply chains globally. All designed to try and limit the risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus, which is currently placed most of the world under lockdown over the past couple of months.
The document has been written by Sabih Khan, Apple Senior Vice President of Operations, and details the changes the company has made such as strict social distancing. Limiting density and health screenings.
Sabih Explains: “This pandemic has left no country untouched, and we want to thank all our suppliers around the world for their commitment, flexibility and care for their teams as we navigate COVID-19’s complex and rapidly evolving impacts, he said. From the outset, we worked with our suppliers to develop and execute a plan that puts the health of people first. Thousands of Apple employees have worked tirelessly to execute that plan in partnership with our suppliers around the world.”
Apple has also detailed some of the measures it is taking that will take place globally across all its operations, such as:
- Personal protective equipment during work and in common areas is required.
- Masks and sanitiser have been provided to employees. Enhanced deep cleaning protocols and been implemented.
- Suppliers have redesigned and reconfigured factory floor plan’s where needed for social distancing.
- Flexible working hours and staggered work shifts have been implemented for maximising interpersonal space.
Apple is sharing its response with many other organisations, hoping that this collective response will set a global standard going forward after the COVID-19 pandemic has ceased. The report was made based on many interviews, with over 52,000 of its workers, and speaking to its suppliers that span over 40 countries.
The report also showed some other non COVID-19 related reading about how the company and it’s suppliers are performing. Some data included that $1.3 million in recruitment fees were repaid to employees in 2019, and less than one percent of the suppliers for Apple are considered low performing. It also showed that their App Development program was successful, with all 41 participants graduating at the end of the intensive course.