Student discussions (not necessarily a comprehensive list) in relation to Apple's ethical/responsible claims and their practices. Understanding how you can make a difference in your consumer choices and on a larger scale, including when you work for a company.

1. Public Promises
• No more than 60 hours work per week
• No one under 16, under 18s should not do
overtime/work at night
• Tin, bought legally, responsibly sourced
• All extra hours have to voluntary
• No more than 8 occupants in a dormitory
• Health & safety practices are followed along the
production, distribution, sales, line, etc.
• All IDs to be returned (illegal in China not to carry
them)
• Environment/ecologically friendly
Private Practices
• Illegal overtime, private bonuses on the payslips,
hidden from view.
• False ID (not properly checked), ‘sign a form’, just
ignore it
• Landslides … not a transparent supply chain
• Told to fill out the form – have to do until the ‘right
answer’/unpaid meetings
• 12 in a dormitory + very small space
• Minimum training, everyone passes = v poor
practices throughout (hidden from public view)
• Kept by management until just before start work
• Seabeds are dying – no care
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04vs348/panorama-apples-broken-promises

2. Working & Living Conditions
• Safety implications – exposed wires = die. Signed a waiver = not
responsible. Consider the differences with UK factory
• 12 to a room = unsafe, if exposed = reputational damage. Production
line can be ready in 3 months, why can’t living conditions change?
• Think doesn’t affect any Western civilisation = doesn’t care enough
• Has been exposed via Panorama and avoided taxes – still not done
anything.
• Need another brand that’s as good fairer/other brands use same supply lines

3. Sustainability
• How knowledgeable are the public?
• “We” know and we don’t care … do we really know?
• Because it works well “we” turn a blind eye
• Apple do know – they don’t care because it saves money. How can we
make them more accountable?
• Not buy it
• Do we campaign against it – even if we have one? Online or outside the stores
• Stakeholders
• The workers, Apple, Suppliers, Buyers, future generations (environment),
government, distributers, people at Apple stores, friends

4. Corporate Social Responsibility
• National laws = if they don’t care – we will take advantage and send
all cheap work to China
• Apple are huge so they should set an example to other companies.
They have £/power. Top management downwards…
• Should have compared to all phones – were they the best? Are other
brands worse? Still not great but…
• $650 for phone, $248 profit, $5 to put together – does balance need
re-evaluating? Apple take more of a hit? We pay more?

5. You – As Consumer & future Responsible
Marketer
• You make a difference: Raise your knowledge of what’s going on if
you work for a company, so can bring to attention of management,
make possible change
• Affected by knowledge: Feel guilty (Chinese working practices)
• Attitude: Would like change in China – feel hopeless to possibility
• Most people would not change buying habits
Would like to particularly thank students who contributed to this
discussion!