Apple Inc.
NasdaqGS : AAPL
2018 Information & Communications Technology
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Company Ranking
3 out of40 Companies
Company Score
SUMMARY
Apple Inc. (Apple) ranks third out of the 40 companies, disclosing more information on its forced labor policies and practices than its peers across all themes. It has the highest score in the benchmark on the theme of worker voice and the joint-highest score on the theme of monitoring. Since 2016, its score has improved from 62 to 71. This is because it has stated that it undertook supply chain risk assessments that include forced labor, engaged stakeholders on forced labor, and integrated forced labor standards into its supplier contracts. KnowTheChain identified one allegation of forced labor in Apple’s supply chain. A letter to employees from the company regarding the allegation, in which the company explained how it improves working conditions in its supply chain, is publicly available. However, the company did not disclose a detailed response to the allegation, nor outcomes of remedy for workers. Additional steps the company could take to address forced labor risks in its supply chains include strengthening its disclosure and practices on the themes of traceability and risk assessment, purchasing practices, and worker voice.
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SCORE HISTORY
THEME & indicator score
The benchmark methodology has seven themes, selected to capture the key areas where companies need to take action to eradicate forced labour from their supply chains. The themes are comprised of a total of 12 key indicators. For each indicator, a company can score a total of 100 points.
Commitment and Governance
This theme evaluates a company's commitment to addressing forced labor, supply chain standards, management processes and board oversight, training programs, and engagement with stakeholders.
| Commitment | 100 / 100 |
| Supply Chain Standards | 70 / 100 |
| Management and Accountability | 75 / 100 |
| Training | 100 / 100 |
| Stakeholder Engagement | 75 / 100 |
Traceability and Risk Assessment
This theme measures the extent to which a company demonstrates an understanding of its suppliers and their workforce by disclosing relevant information, and assesses and discloses forced labor risks across its supply chains.
| Traceability and Supply Chain Transparency | 75 / 100 |
| Risk Assessment | 75 / 100 |
Purchasing Practices
This theme assesses to what extent a company adopts responsible purchasing practices and integrates supply chain standards into supplier selection and supplier contracts. It also assesses the degree to which a company cascades their standards down its supply chains.
| Purchasing Practices | 30 / 100 |
| Supplier Selection | 0 / 100 |
| Integration into Supplier Contracts | 50 / 100 |
| Cascading Standards Through the Supply Chain | 100 / 100 |
Recruitment
| Recruitment Approach | 30 / 100 |
| Recruitment Fees | 100 / 100 |
| Monitoring and Ethical Recruitment | 100 / 100 |
| Migrant Worker Rights | 75 / 100 |
Worker Voice
This theme measures the extent to which a company engages with workers in its supply chains, enables freedom of association, and ensures access to effective and trusted grievance mechanisms.
| Communication of Policies | 50 / 100 |
| Worker Voice | 100 / 100 |
| Freedom of Association | 12.5 / 100 |
| Grievance Mechanism | 70 / 100 |
Monitoring
This theme evaluates a company's process for auditing suppliers (including whether it performs non-scheduled visits, reviews relevant documents such as wage slips or contracts, interviews workers, and audits lower-tier suppliers) and providing disclosure on the outcomes of supplier audits.
| Auditing Process | 100 / 100 |
| Auditing Disclosure | / 100 |
Remedy
This theme measures the extent to which a company has corrective action plan processes for non-compliant suppliers and ensures remedy is provided to workers in its supply chains who are victims of forced labor. Publicly available allegations of forced labor in a company's supply chains which occurred in the past three years, and how a company has responded to and addressed those allegations, are also assessed as part of this theme.
| Corrective Action Plans | 100 / 100 |
| Remedy Programs and Response to Allegations | 37.5 / 100 |