Apple's 14th Annual Suppliers Report Outlines Serious Safety Precautions For All Employees Amidst Coronavirus Pandemic

Alec G., Tech Times 15 May 2020, 12:05 am

Apple supplier has made some severe safety changes to cope with COVID-19 and its dangerous and lethal effects since work is slowly coming back to full throttle.

Apple's 14th Annual Supplier Responsibility Progress Report

Apple just released its annual audit for its supplier chains, which highlights the new company's policy that increases safety and protection for its employees in its global supply chain during the times of the coronavirus pandemic. Its because they planned to limit the density and enforce strict new adherence to social distancing and said it is "to ensure people are able to return to work safely -- because everyone has the right to a safe and healthy workplace."

The report came with a statement from Apple's senior vice president of operations, Sabih Khan, saying that they planned to limit the density and enforce strict new adherence to social distancing and said it is "to ensure people are able to return to work safely -- because everyone has the right to a safe and healthy workplace."

He ended with, "From the outset, we worked with our suppliers to develop and execute a plan that puts the health of people first."

In February, the company has already warned that the spread in China of COVID-19 would damage its flagship iPhone business, limiting supply and sales of the respected device. Apple also said that it helped health workers as well as others through the crisis; they helped by donations that reached the millions, more than 30 million face masks, and 7.5 million face shields.

What Are The Changes Apple Implemented?

They include requiring personal protective equipment that should be worn at all times during work and in common areas. Masks, as well as sanitizers, have already been distributed to its workers.

The company will also be sharing what it has learned in the process with others in the same industry as companies are now coping on how to be productive while still taking care of its employees. Best practices, as well as guidelines, will be passed around to make sure everyone is aware and compliant with the new way of working around the coronavirus pandemic.

Khan said, "While COVID-19 has been an unprecedented challenge, we've also drawn hope and inspiration from humanity's renewed focus on the health of our colleagues, friends, and neighbors,"

The audit was based on more than 52,000 supplier employees in over 49 countries from 2019; last year, there were only 30 countries involved.

The tech giant has said that the number of sites participating in the Zero Waste Program, which was introduced in 2015 to reduce manufacturing waste, has increased 53 percent, diverting more than 322,000 metric tons of garbage towards landfills. Suppliers successfully conserved more than 30 billion gallons of freshwater last year, leading to a 40 percent rate of wastewater reuse.

Over 154,700 suppliers employees have participated in the Supplier Employee Education and Development, which provides access to educational opportunities. Over four million employees have availed of this program since its inception in 2008.