JANUARY 5TH 2015
INSPECTIONS AND ETHICS
The issue of ethics once again has made headlines with companies like Apple being under fired for the working conditions in their supplier factories. Undercover filmmakers pretending to be workers in a factory making Apple products in China had to work up to 16 hours a day and as many as 18 days in a row, according to an investigation by BBC Panorama.[1]
We have seen issues like these before where big companies who outsource their labor are caught in issues of exploitation, child labor, and bad working conditions. But who is really to blame? These companies in the most part do their best to be as ethical as possible in managing where their products come from, this especially being true for Apple who is the leader for worker rights.
“Worker safety and well-being are our top priorities. We set very high standards, conduct rigorous training for managers and workers, and have external auditors regularly visiting our facilities to find areas for improvement,”[2]
What is ethical? And how can we prevent this?
To be ethical is to give these people save working conditions treating them with respect and dignity. The problem with the factories in Asia is that most of the control falls under the supplier and not the buyer. The only thing to be done is to implement factory inspections. With factory inspections not only do you know who you are doing business with, but you also have all the details on how the factory works, the output, the quality, and how the workers are being treated.
The benefits from having your products come from an ethical place are tremendous beginning by saving yourself trouble in your home country or with any legal issues that may arise.
More and more companies are pursuing this ethical work mindset, especially as the whole continent of Asia becomes a point for manufacturing worldwide.
Here at Annex Asia our inspections are full encompassing covering everything, we believe in the benefit of all parties involved, and most of all we believe in the ethnics and respect of human dignity.
Sources:
Jairo Andrés Muñoz, MIR-Peking University
Publishing Coordinator publishing@annexasia.com
