Apple Shares 2020 Supplier Responsibility Report Detailing COVID-19 Precautions

Apple today shared its 2020 Supplier Responsibility progress report [PDF], and as noted by TechCrunch, it includes a letter that details Apple's plans to increase safety and protection in its worldwide supply chain in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

applesupplierreport
Authored by Sabih Khan, Apple's senior vice president of operations, the letter details changes that Apple has made to protect its supply chain partners, such as strict adherence to social distancing, limiting density, and health screenings.

This pandemic has left no country untouched, and we want to thank all our suppliers around the world for their commitment, flexibility and care for their teams as we navigate COVID-19's complex and rapidly evolving impacts. From the outset, we worked with our suppliers to develop and execute a plan that puts the health of people first. Thousands of Apple employees have worked tirelessly to execute that plan in partnership with our suppliers around the world.

Some of the measures that Apple has put in place include the following:

  • Personal protective equipment during work and in common areas is required.
  • Masks and sanitizer have been provided to employees.
  • Enhanced deep cleaning protocols and been implemented.
  • Suppliers have redesigned and reconfigured factory floorplans where needed for social distancing.
  • Flexible working hours and staggered work shifts have been implemented for maximizing interpersonal space.

Apple is also sharing its plans with other organizations in the hopes of establishing similar standards across the industry.

The 2020 Supplier Responsibility Report was created based on interviews with 52,000 workers, with Apple auditing suppliers in 49 countries, up from 30 in 2018. There were 1142 total audits in 2019. Some additional highlights from the report:

  • $1.3 million in recruitment fees were repaid to employees in 2019.
  • There was a 53% year over year increase in supplier sites committed to achieving zero waste.
  • 30.5 billion gallons of freshwater have been conserved by suppliers to date.
  • Apple saw 100 percent participation in third-party audits across tin, tantalum, tungsten, gold, and cobalt smelters and refiners.
  • There was a 13% increase in high-performing supplier facilities year over year.
  • Less than one percent of Apple's suppliers were considered low-performing.
  • Over 154,700 suppliers used SEED learning opportunities in 2019.
  • 41 people took part in Apple's intensive app development course with a 100 percent graduation rate.

Full details about Apple's supply chain can be read in the full Supplier Responsibility Report. [PDF]

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

'New' iPhone SE Product Listing Appears on French Website

Wednesday February 12, 2025 6:49 am PST by
As the wait continues for Apple's long-rumored, fourth-generation iPhone SE, French electronics retailer Boulanger has prematurely published a product listing for a "new" model of the iPhone SE. The placeholder page says the device is "coming soon," but it offers no further information, and the price shown is obviously not real. The listing was spotted by a reader of the French technology...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

What to Expect From the 'Apple Launch' Next Week

Thursday February 13, 2025 11:48 am PST by
Apple has yet to announce any new devices this year, but that could change starting next week. Apple CEO Tim Cook today said to "get ready" for a "launch" on Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," said Cook, in a social media post. The post includes an #AppleLaunch hashtag, along with a short video featuring an animated Apple logo inside of a circle....
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro With All-New Camera Bar Design Allegedly Revealed

Thursday February 13, 2025 5:49 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro will feature three rear cameras arranged in a familiar triangular layout, but the cameras will be housed in an all-new rectangular camera bar with rounded corners, according to YouTube channel Front Page Tech. iPhone 17 Pro camera design render created by Asher for Front Page Tech In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser said the camera ...
M4 Mac mini Apple Video

Apple's Refurbished Mac Mini Pricing Has a Problem

Thursday February 13, 2025 6:20 am PST by
Apple this week began selling refurbished Mac mini models with the M4 chip for the first time, but this has led to a pricing conundrum. In the United States, Apple is offering a refurbished Mac mini with the base M4 chip, 256GB of storage, 16GB of RAM, and Gigabit Ethernet for $509, down from $599 new. This is the standard 15% discount that Apple offers on refurbished Macs. The issue is...
M4 mini Glowing Blue

Apple Begins Selling Refurbished M4 Macs

Wednesday February 12, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today added MacBook Pro and Mac mini models with M4 series chips to its certified refurbished store in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland for the first time since the computers were introduced in October 2024. Some refurbished MacBook Pro models with M4 chips are also available in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and select other European countries. ...
iPhone 16 Apple Store

iPhone 17 in New Sizes This Year: What to Know

Thursday February 13, 2025 2:45 am PST by
Last year, Apple tweaked iPhone 16 Pro screen sizes to make them bigger than 2023's iPhone 15 Pro models, and this year we are also expecting a change in the size of the displays in the iPhone 17 lineup. Here's what we know. Standard iPhone 17 Apple could introduce a new display size for the standard iPhone 17 model in 2025. The iPhone 17 could measure in at 6.3 inches, up from 6.1 inches,...
Apple Ad on X

Apple Resumes Advertising on X

Wednesday February 12, 2025 2:18 pm PST by
Apple this month started advertising on X for the first time in more than a year. The company had stopped advertising on the social media platform in November 2023 following controversial remarks made by its owner Elon Musk. For example, the @Apple account is running an ad promoting Safari's privacy features. The ad was spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The @AppleTV account has a...

Top Rated Comments

jseq Avatar
62 months ago
It looks like an iMac, the black column appears to be the stand, possible redesign? ?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wdowell Avatar
62 months ago

wow this could actually be a leak

guessing the front is all black too with thin bezels and no chin
It's the current iMac design. They put a semi-transparent blue film on the foot to protect it, so I reckon it's that. also the ports on the back- classic UBS - havent changed at all. so no way is this a new one
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tranceking26 Avatar
62 months ago

It looks like an iMac, the black column appears to be the stand, possible redesign? ?
Would love an all-black iMac
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)