The state of cobalt mine working conditions in the Congo is wanting. Reports have been made on child labor and dangerous work and as a result, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will no longer buy mined cobalt. The tech giant will also be injecting in a new policy that will ensure its supplier companies of metal, used in iPhone and iPad batteries are exercising protection rights.
According to the company’s spokesperson, all the small mines must adhere to safeguarding workers and banning child labor. An investigation by the U.K. broadcaster Sky News has revealed that several children were working 12-hours a day and under strict supervision.
But it seems like the technology industry’s cobalt problem has been there longer
An eight-year-old named Dorsen and another 11-year-old worker were mentioned on the investigations by Sky News. The two complained of body aches, which were perhaps as a result of working without protective equipment. Further interviews with workers also revealed about the risk of collapsing hand-dug tunnels, which often have caused worker deaths.
Apparently, the Sky News report on the dangerous working conditions may not really be surprising. The industry’s cobalt problem was also highlighted last year when a Washington Post published an investigation into Congo’s artisanal cobalt supply chain. The post put on the spot Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Company, a Chinese company, which is also the Apple’s supplier
Does Apple have the goodwill of mine workers at heart?
The company is yet to make any comment on the above but a quote on its report says, “There’s a right way to make products. It starts with the rights of the people who make them.”
The company also says that it is addressing the concerns in its supply chain. It has been trying to maintain the required standards as well as transparency. Besides, Apple has also been releasing a detailed report on what is happening within its supply chains as a way of finding out if workers are treated fairly.
Meanwhile, Apple’s stock closed at $139.78 witnessing an increase of $0.82 or 0.59%.