Question

Question 4 List some key measures taken by the selected company to ensure that its business operations have incorporated high level of ethics and ethical judgments.

Answer 1

Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in April 1976. Apple designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and online services.

Ethics Apple expects the highest standards of ethical conduct in all of our endeavors. Supplier shall always be ethical in every aspect of its business, including relationships, practices, sourcing, and operations.

Responsible Sourcing of Materials

Suppliers shall exercise due diligence on relevant materials in their supply chains. Suppliers shall develop particular due diligence policies and management systems in order to identify applicable risks and take appropriate steps to mitigate them. Due diligence shall be conducted to the material processing level in order to determine whether relevant materials originate from regions with high risks, which include areas associated with conflict, worst forms of child labor, forced labor and human trafficking, gross human rights violations such as widespread sexual violence, or other reasonably objective high risk activities, including severe health and safety risks and negative environmental impacts.

Business Integrity

Supplier shall not engage in corruption, extortion, embezzlement, or bribery to obtain an unfair or improper advantage. Supplier shall abide by all applicable anti-corruption laws and regulations of the countries in which it operates, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and applicable international anti-corruption conventions. Suppliers shall have a policy relating to business with Apple that prohibits the giving and acceptance of gifts. Gifts include items such as cash, or cash equivalents including entertainment, gift cards, product discounts, and nonbusiness activities. Suppliers shall have a process to investigate and report any violations to the policy.

Management Accountability and Responsibility

Supplier shall identify company representatives responsible for ensuring implementation and periodic review of its management systems. Supplier shall have a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) or Sustainability representative that reports directly to executive management and has the responsibility and authority to manage social and environmental compliance requirements for the business.

Disclosure of Information

Supplier shall accurately record information regarding its business activities, labor, health and safety, and environmental practices and shall disclose such information, without falsification or misrepresentation, to all appropriate parties and as required by law.

Company Statement

Supplier shall develop a company statement affirming its commitment to high standards of social and environmental responsibility, ethical conduct, and continuous improvement. Supplier shall post this statement in the primary local language at all of its facilities.

Protection of Intellectual Property

Supplier shall respect intellectual property rights and safeguard customer information. Supplier shall manage technology and know-how in a manner that protects intellectual property rights.

Whistleblower Protection and Anonymous Complaints

Supplier shall provide an anonymous complaint mechanism for managers and workers to report workplace grievances. Supplier shall protect whistleblower confidentiality and prohibit retaliation.

Performance Objectives with Implementation Plans and Measures

Supplier shall have written standards, performance objectives, targets, and implementation plans, including periodic assessments of the performance against those objectives.

Audits and Assessments

Supplier shall perform periodic evaluations of its facilities and operations, and the facilities and operations of its subcontractors and next-tier suppliers that provide goods or services to Apple to ensure compliance with this Code and the law.

Supplier will permit Apple and a third party designated by Apple to periodically evaluate Supplier’s facilities and operations and assess Supplier’s compliance with the applicable principles and requirements of the Code, and those of its subcontractors and next-tier suppliers, to the extent they are providing goods or services to Apple, for Apple’s benefit, or for use in Apple products.

Community Engagement

Supplier is encouraged to help foster social and economic development and contribute to the sustainability of the communities in which it operates.