For this assignment you are going to read the ACM code of ethics (
https://www.acm.org/code-of-ethics
) and then look for examples (cite the news source) of violations to this code by companies or individuals. Then come back here and discuss the violation with your group. Just as the first ethics assignment you should participate at least twice, the first time will be your example, explaining why it is a violation and which articles it violates. The second participation should be engaging with someone else’s example. Remember you can participate more than two times. The guidelines for a good participation are the same as the first assignment:
ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
Computing professionals’ actions change the world. To act responsibly, they should reflect upon the wider impacts of their work, consistently supporting the public good. The ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (“the Code”) expresses the conscience of the profession.
The Code is designed to inspire and guide the ethical conduct of all computing professionals, including current and aspiring practitioners, instructors, students, influencers, and anyone who uses computing technology in an impactful way. Additionally, the Code serves as a basis for remediation when violations occur. The Code includes principles formulated as statements of responsibility, based on the understanding that the public good is always the primary consideration. Each principle is supplemented by guidelines, which provide explanations to assist computing professionals in understanding and applying the principle.
Section 1 outlines fundamental ethical principles that form the basis for the remainder of the Code. Section 2 addresses additional, more specific considerations of professional responsibility. Section 3 guides individuals who have a leadership role, whether in the workplace or in a volunteer professional capacity. Commitment to ethical conduct is required of every ACM member, ACM SIG member, ACM award recipient, and ACM SIG award recipient. Principles involving compliance with the Code are given in Section 4.
The Code as a whole is concerned with how fundamental ethical principles apply to a computing professional’s conduct. The Code is not an algorithm for solving ethical problems; rather it serves as a basis for ethical decision-making. When thinking through a particular issue, a computing professional may find that multiple principles should be taken into account, and that different principles will have different relevance to the issue. Questions related to these kinds of issues can best be answered by thoughtful consideration of the fundamental ethical principles, understanding that the public good is the paramount consideration. The entire computing profession benefits when the ethical decision-making process is accountable to and transparent to all stakeholders. Open discussions about ethical issues promote this accountability and transparency.
A computing professional should…
This principle, which concerns the quality of life of all people, affirms an obligation of computing professionals, both individually and collectively, to use their skills for the benefit of society, its members, and the environment surrounding them. This obligation includes promoting fundamental human rights and protecting each individual’s right to autonomy. An essential aim of computing professionals is to minimize negative consequences of computing, including threats to health, safety, personal security, and privacy. When the interests of multiple groups conflict, the needs of those less advantaged should be given increased attention and priority.
Computing professionals should consider whether the results of their efforts will respect diversity, will be used in socially responsible ways, will meet social needs, and will be broadly accessible. They are encouraged to actively contribute to society by engaging in pro bono or volunteer work that benefits the public good.
In addition to a safe social environment, human well-being requires a safe natural environment. Therefore, computing professionals should promote environmental sustainability both locally and globally.
In this document, “harm” means negative consequences, especially when those consequences are significant and unjust. Examples of harm include unjustified physical or mental injury, unjustified destruction or disclosure of information, and unjustified damage to property, reputation, and the environment. This list is not exhaustive.
Well-intended actions, including those that accomplish assigned duties, may lead to harm. When that harm is unintended, those responsible are obliged to undo or mitigate the harm as much as possible. Avoiding harm begins with careful consideration of potential impacts on all those affected by decisions. When harm is an intentional part of the system, those responsible are obligated to ensure that the harm is ethically justified. In either case, ensure that all harm is minimized.
To minimize the possibility of indirectly or unintentionally harming others, computing professionals should follow generally accepted best practices unless there is a compelling ethical reason to do otherwise. Additionally, the consequences of data aggregation and emergent properties of systems should be carefully analyzed. Those involved with pervasive or infrastructure systems should also consider Principle 3.7.
A computing professional has an additional obligation to report any signs of system risks that might result in harm. If leaders do not act to curtail or mitigate such risks, it may be necessary to “blow the whistle” to reduce potential harm. However, capricious or misguided reporting of risks can itself be harmful. Before reporting risks, a computing professional should carefully assess relevant aspects of the situation.
Honesty is an essential component of trustworthiness. A computing professional should be transparent and provide full disclosure of all pertinent system capabilities, limitations, and potential problems to the appropriate parties. Making deliberately false or misleading claims, fabricating or falsifying data, offering or accepting bribes, and other dishonest conduct are violations of the Code.
Computing professionals should be honest about their qualifications, and about any limitations in their competence to complete a task. Computing professionals should be forthright about any circumstances that might lead to either real or perceived conflicts of interest or otherwise tend to undermine the independence of their judgment. Furthermore, commitments should be honored.
Computing professionals should not misrepresent an organization’s policies or procedures, and should not speak on behalf of an organization unless authorized to do so.
The values of equality, tolerance, respect for others, and justice govern this principle. Fairness requires that even careful decision processes provide some avenue for redress of grievances.
Computing professionals should foster fair participation of all people, including those of underrepresented groups. Prejudicial discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, family status, gender identity, labor union membership, military status, nationality, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or any other inappropriate factor is an explicit violation of the Code. Harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying, and other abuses of power and authority, is a form of discrimination that, amongst other harms, limits fair access to the virtual and physical spaces where such harassment takes place.
The use of information and technology may cause new, or enhance existing, inequities. Technologies and practices should be as inclusive and accessible as possible and computing professionals should take action to avoid creating systems or technologies that disenfranchise or oppress people. Failure to design for inclusiveness and accessibility may constitute unfair discrimination.
Developing new ideas, inventions, creative works, and computing artifacts creates value for society, and those who expend this effort should expect to gain value from their work. Computing professionals should therefore credit the creators of ideas, inventions, work, and artifacts, and respect copyrights, patents, trade secrets, license agreements, and other methods of protecting authors’ works.
Both custom and the law recognize that some exceptions to a creator’s control of a work are necessary for the public good. Computing professionals should not unduly oppose reasonable uses of their intellectual works. Efforts to help others by contributing time and energy to projects that help society illustrate a positive aspect of this principle. Such efforts include free and open source software and work put into the public domain. Computing professionals should not claim private ownership of work that they or others have shared as public resources.
The responsibility of respecting privacy applies to computing professionals in a particularly profound way. Technology enables the collection, monitoring, and exchange of personal information quickly, inexpensively, and often without the knowledge of the people affected. Therefore, a computing professional should become conversant in the various definitions and forms of privacy and should understand the rights and responsibilities associated with the collection and use of personal information.
Computing professionals should only use personal information for legitimate ends and without violating the rights of individuals and groups. This requires taking precautions to prevent re-identification of anonymized data or unauthorized data collection, ensuring the accuracy of data, understanding the provenance of the data, and protecting it from unauthorized access and accidental disclosure. Computing professionals should establish transparent policies and procedures that allow individuals to understand what data is being collected and how it is being used, to give informed consent for automatic data collection, and to review, obtain, correct inaccuracies in, and delete their personal data.
Only the minimum amount of personal information necessary should be collected in a system. The retention and disposal periods for that information should be clearly defined, enforced, and communicated to data subjects. Personal information gathered for a specific purpose should not be used for other purposes without the person’s consent. Merged data collections can compromise privacy features present in the original collections. Therefore, computing professionals should take special care for privacy when merging data collections.
Computing professionals are often entrusted with confidential information such as trade secrets, client data, nonpublic business strategies, financial information, research data, pre-publication scholarly articles, and patent applications. Computing professionals should protect confidentiality except in cases where it is evidence of the violation of law, of organizational regulations, or of the Code. In these cases, the nature or contents of that information should not be disclosed except to appropriate authorities. A computing professional should consider thoughtfully whether such disclosures are consistent with the Code.
A computing professional should…
Computing professionals should insist on and support high quality work from themselves and from colleagues. The dignity of employers, employees, colleagues, clients, users, and anyone else affected either directly or indirectly by the work should be respected throughout the process. Computing professionals should respect the right of those involved to transparent communication about the project. Professionals should be cognizant of any serious negative consequences affecting any stakeholder that may result from poor quality work and should resist inducements to neglect this responsibility.
High quality computing depends on individuals and teams who take personal and group responsibility for acquiring and maintaining professional competence. Professional competence starts with technical knowledge and with awareness of the social context in which their work may be deployed. Professional competence also requires skill in communication, in reflective analysis, and in recognizing and navigating ethical challenges. Upgrading skills should be an ongoing process and might include independent study, attending conferences or seminars, and other informal or formal education. Professional organizations and employers should encourage and facilitate these activities.
“Rules” here include local, regional, national, and international laws and regulations, as well as any policies and procedures of the organizations to which the professional belongs. Computing professionals must abide by these rules unless there is a compelling ethical justification to do otherwise. Rules that are judged unethical should be challenged. A rule may be unethical when it has an inadequate moral basis or causes recognizable harm. A computing professional should consider challenging the rule through existing channels before violating the rule. A computing professional who decides to violate a rule because it is unethical, or for any other reason, must consider potential consequences and accept responsibility for that action.
High quality professional work in computing depends on professional review at all stages. Whenever appropriate, computing professionals should seek and utilize peer and stakeholder review. Computing professionals should also provide constructive, critical reviews of others’ work.
Computing professionals are in a position of trust, and therefore have a special responsibility to provide objective, credible evaluations and testimony to employers, employees, clients, users, and the public. Computing professionals should strive to be perceptive, thorough, and objective when evaluating, recommending, and presenting system descriptions and alternatives. Extraordinary care should be taken to identify and mitigate potential risks in machine learning systems. A system for which future risks cannot be reliably predicted requires frequent reassessment of risk as the system evolves in use, or it should not be deployed. Any issues that might result in major risk must be reported to appropriate parties.
A computing professional is responsible for evaluating potential work assignments. This includes evaluating the work’s feasibility and advisability, and making a judgment about whether the work assignment is within the professional’s areas of competence. If at any time before or during the work assignment the professional identifies a lack of a necessary expertise, they must disclose this to the employer or client. The client or employer may decide to pursue the assignment with the professional after additional time to acquire the necessary competencies, to pursue the assignment with someone else who has the required expertise, or to forgo the assignment. A computing professional’s ethical judgment should be the final guide in deciding whether to work on the assignment.
As appropriate to the context and one’s abilities, computing professionals should share technical knowledge with the public, foster awareness of computing, and encourage understanding of computing. These communications with the public should be clear, respectful, and welcoming. Important issues include the impacts of computer systems, their limitations, their vulnerabilities, and the opportunities that they present. Additionally, a computing professional should respectfully address inaccurate or misleading information related to computing.
Individuals and organizations have the right to restrict access to their systems and data so long as the restrictions are consistent with other principles in the Code. Consequently, computing professionals should not access another’s computer system, software, or data without a reasonable belief that such an action would be authorized or a compelling belief that it is consistent with the public good. A system being publicly accessible is not sufficient grounds on its own to imply authorization. Under exceptional circumstances a computing professional may use unauthorized access to disrupt or inhibit the functioning of malicious systems; extraordinary precautions must be taken in these instances to avoid harm to others.
Breaches of computer security cause harm. Robust security should be a primary consideration when designing and implementing systems. Computing professionals should perform due diligence to ensure the system functions as intended, and take appropriate action to secure resources against accidental and intentional misuse, modification, and denial of service. As threats can arise and change after a system is deployed, computing professionals should integrate mitigation techniques and policies, such as monitoring, patching, and vulnerability reporting. Computing professionals should also take steps to ensure parties affected by data breaches are notified in a timely and clear manner, providing appropriate guidance and remediation.
To ensure the system achieves its intended purpose, security features should be designed to be as intuitive and easy to use as possible. Computing professionals should discourage security precautions that are too confusing, are situationally inappropriate, or otherwise inhibit legitimate use.
In cases where misuse or harm are predictable or unavoidable, the best option may be to not implement the system.
Leadership may either be a formal designation or arise informally from influence over others. In this section, “leader” means any member of an organization or group who has influence, educational responsibilities, or managerial responsibilities. While these principles apply to all computing professionals, leaders bear a heightened responsibility to uphold and promote them, both within and through their organizations.
A computing professional, especially one acting as a leader, should…
People—including users, customers, colleagues, and others affected directly or indirectly—should always be the central concern in computing. The public good should always be an explicit consideration when evaluating tasks associated with research, requirements analysis, design, implementation, testing, validation, deployment, maintenance, retirement, and disposal. Computing professionals should keep this focus no matter which methodologies or techniques they use in their practice.
Technical organizations and groups affect broader society, and their leaders should accept the associated responsibilities. Organizations—through procedures and attitudes oriented toward quality, transparency, and the welfare of society—reduce harm to the public and raise awareness of the influence of technology in our lives. Therefore, leaders should encourage full participation of computing professionals in meeting relevant social responsibilities and discourage tendencies to do otherwise.
Leaders should ensure that they enhance, not degrade, the quality of working life. Leaders should consider the personal and professional development, accessibility requirements, physical safety, psychological well-being, and human dignity of all workers. Appropriate human-computer ergonomic standards should be used in the workplace.
Leaders should pursue clearly defined organizational policies that are consistent with the Code and effectively communicate them to relevant stakeholders. In addition, leaders should encourage and reward compliance with those policies, and take appropriate action when policies are violated. Designing or implementing processes that deliberately or negligently violate, or tend to enable the violation of, the Code’s principles is ethically unacceptable.
Educational opportunities are essential for all organization and group members. Leaders should ensure that opportunities are available to computing professionals to help them improve their knowledge and skills in professionalism, in the practice of ethics, and in their technical specialties. These opportunities should include experiences that familiarize computing professionals with the consequences and limitations of particular types of systems. Computing professionals should be fully aware of the dangers of oversimplified approaches, the improbability of anticipating every possible operating condition, the inevitability of software errors, the interactions of systems and their contexts, and other issues related to the complexity of their profession—and thus be confident in taking on responsibilities for the work that they do.
Interface changes, the removal of features, and even software updates have an impact on the productivity of users and the quality of their work. Leaders should take care when changing or discontinuing support for system features on which people still depend. Leaders should thoroughly investigate viable alternatives to removing support for a legacy system. If these alternatives are unacceptably risky or impractical, the developer should assist stakeholders’ graceful migration from the system to an alternative. Users should be notified of the risks of continued use of the unsupported system long before support ends. Computing professionals should assist system users in monitoring the operational viability of their computing systems, and help them understand that timely replacement of inappropriate or outdated features or entire systems may be needed.
Even the simplest computer systems have the potential to impact all aspects of society when integrated with everyday activities such as commerce, travel, government, healthcare, and education. When organizations and groups develop systems that become an important part of the infrastructure of society, their leaders have an added responsibility to be good stewards of these systems. Part of that stewardship requires establishing policies for fair system access, including for those who may have been excluded. That stewardship also requires that computing professionals monitor the level of integration of their systems into the infrastructure of society. As the level of adoption changes, the ethical responsibilities of the organization or group are likely to change as well. Continual monitoring of how society is using a system will allow the organization or group to remain consistent with their ethical obligations outlined in the Code. When appropriate standards of care do not exist, computing professionals have a duty to ensure they are developed.
A computing professional should…
The future of computing depends on both technical and ethical excellence. Computing professionals should adhere to the principles of the Code and contribute to improving them. Computing professionals who recognize breaches of the Code should take actions to resolve the ethical issues they recognize, including, when reasonable, expressing their concern to the person or persons thought to be violating the Code.
Each ACM member should encourage and support adherence by all computing professionals regardless of ACM membership. ACM members who recognize a breach of the Code should consider reporting the violation to the ACM, which may result in remedial action as specified in the ACM’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct Enforcement Policy.
The Code and guidelines were developed by the ACM Code 2018 Task Force: Executive Committee Don Gotterbarn (Chair), Bo Brinkman, Catherine Flick, Michael S Kirkpatrick, Keith Miller, Kate Varansky, and Marty J Wolf. Members: Eve Anderson, Ron Anderson, Amy Bruckman, Karla Carter, Michael Davis, Penny Duquenoy, Jeremy Epstein, Kai Kimppa, Lorraine Kisselburgh, Shrawan Kumar, Andrew McGettrick, Natasa Milic-Frayling, Denise Oram, Simon Rogerson, David Shamma, Janice Sipior, Eugene Spafford, and Les Waguespack. The Task Force was organized by the ACM Committee on Professional Ethics. Significant contributions to the Code were also made by the broader international ACM membership. This Code and its guidelines were adopted by the ACM Council on June 22nd, 2018.
This Code may be published without permission as long as it is not changed in any way and it carries the copyright notice. Copyright (c) 2018 by the Association for Computing Machinery.
Apple is committed to ensuring that working conditions in Apple’s supply chain are safe, that workers are treated with respect and dignity, and that manufacturing processes are environmentally responsible. Apple’s suppliers (“Suppliers”) commit, in all of their activities, to operate in full compliance with the laws, rules, and regulations of the countries in which they operate. This Supplier Code of Conduct (“Code”) goes further, drawing upon internationally recognized standards, in order to advance social and environmental responsibility.
Apple requires that Suppliers implement this Code using the management systems described below. Apple may visit (and/or have external monitors visit) Supplier facilities, with or without notice, to assess compliance with this Code and to audit Supplier’s wage, hour, payroll, and other worker records and practices. Violations of this Code may result in immediate termination as an Apple Supplier and in legal action.
The Apple Supplier Code of Conduct is modeled on and contains language from the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct. Recognized standards such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and standards issued by organizations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), Social Accountability International (SAI), and the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) were used as references in preparing this Code and may be useful sources of additional information. A complete list of references is provided at the end of this Code. As an extension of the Code, Apple maintains a series of detailed Standards that clarify our expectations for compliance.
Labor and Human Rights
Suppliers must uphold the human rights of workers, and treat them with dignity and respect as understood by the international community.
Antidiscrimination
Suppliers shall not discriminate against any worker based on race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, religion, political affiliation, union membership, national origin, or marital status in hiring and employment practices such as applications for employment, promotions, rewards, access to training, job assignments, wages, benefits, discipline, and termination. Suppliers shall not require a pregnancy test or discriminate against pregnant workers except where required by applicable laws or regulations or prudent for workplace safety. In addition, Suppliers shall not require workers or potential workers to undergo medical tests that could be used in a discriminatory way except where required by applicable laws or regulations or prudent for workplace safety.
Apple Supplier Code of Conduct
Fair Treatment
Suppliers shall commit to a workplace free of harassment. Suppliers shall not threaten workers with or subject them to harsh or inhumane treatment, including sexual harassment, sexual abuse, corporal punishment, mental coercion, physical coercion, verbal abuse, or unreasonable restrictions on entering or exiting company-provided facilities. Suppliers shall prohibit harassment and unlawful discrimination in the workplace.
Prevention of Involuntary Labor and Human Trafficking
Suppliers shall not traffic in persons or use any form of slave, forced, bonded, indentured, or prison labor. This includes the transportation, harboring, recruitment, transfer, or receipt of persons by means of threat, force, coercion, abduction, fraud, or payments to any person having control over another person for the purpose of exploitation. All work must be voluntary and workers shall be free to leave work or terminate their employment with reasonable notice. Workers must not be required to surrender any government-issued identification, passports, or work permits as a condition of employment. Suppliers shall ensure that third-party agencies providing workers are compliant with the provisions of the Code and the laws of the sending and receiving countries, whichever is more stringent in its protection of workers. Suppliers shall ensure that contracts for both direct and contract workers clearly convey the conditions of employment in a language understood by the worker. Where workers are required to pay a fee in connection with obtaining employment, Suppliers shall be responsible for payment of all fees and expenses in excess of the amount of one month of the worker’s anticipated net wages. Such fees and expenses include, but are not limited to, expenses associated with recruitment, processing, or placement of both direct and contract workers.
Prevention of Underage Labor
Child labor is strictly prohibited. Suppliers shall not employ children. The minimum age for employment or work shall be 15 years of age, the minimum age for employment in that country, or the age for completing compulsory education in that country, whichever is higher. This Code does not prohibit participation in legitimate workplace apprenticeship programs that are consistent with Article 6 of ILO Minimum Age Convention No. 138 or light work consistent with Article 7 of ILO Minimum Age Convention No. 138.
Juvenile Worker Protections
Suppliers may employ juveniles who are older than the applicable legal minimum age for employment but are younger than 18 years of age, provided they do not perform work likely to jeopardize their heath, safety, or morals, consistent with ILO Minimum Age Convention No. 138.
Working Hours
Except in emergency or unusual situations, a work week shall be restricted to 60 hours, including overtime, and workers shall take at least one day off every seven days. All overtime shall be voluntary. Under no circumstances shall work weeks exceed the maximum permitted under applicable laws and regulations.
Wages and Benefits
Suppliers shall pay all workers at least the minimum wage required by applicable laws and regulations and provide all legally mandated benefits. In addition to their compensation for regular hours of work, workers shall be compensated for overtime hours at the premium rate required by applicable laws and regulations. Suppliers shall not use deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure.
Apple Supplier Code of Conduct
Suppliers shall offer vacation time, leave periods, and holidays consistent with applicable laws and regulations. Suppliers shall pay workers in a timely manner and clearly convey the basis on which workers are being paid.
Freedom of Association
Suppliers must respect the right of workers to associate freely with, form, and join workers’ organizations of their own choosing, seek representation, and bargain collectively, as permitted by and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Suppliers shall not discriminate with respect to employment based on union membership and, in particular, shall not make employment subject to the condition that the worker relinquish union membership or agree not to join a union; or cause the dismissal of or otherwise prejudice a worker by reason of union membership or participation in union activities outside working hours (or within working hours if the Supplier has consented to such activities or if required by applicable laws or regulations). Suppliers shall protect against acts of interference with the establishment, functioning, or administration of workers’ organizations in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
Health and Safety
Apple recognizes that integrating sound health and safety management practices into all aspects of business is essential to maintain high morale and produce innovative products. Suppliers shall commit to creating safe working conditions and a healthy work environment for all of their workers.
Occupational Injury Prevention
Suppliers shall eliminate physical hazards where possible. Where physical hazards cannot be eliminated, Suppliers shall provide appropriate engineering controls such as physical guards, interlocks, and barriers. Where appropriate engineering controls are not possible, Suppliers shall establish appropriate administrative controls such as safe work procedures. In all cases, Suppliers shall provide workers with appropriate personal protective equipment. Workers shall not be disciplined for raising safety concerns and shall have the right to refuse unsafe working conditions without fear of reprisal until management adequately addresses their concerns.
Prevention of Chemical Exposure
Suppliers shall identify, evaluate, and control worker exposure to hazardous chemical, biological, and physical agents. Suppliers must eliminate chemical hazards where possible. Where chemical hazards cannot be eliminated, Suppliers shall provide appropriate engineering controls such as closed systems and ventilation. Where appropriate engineering controls are not possible, Suppliers shall establish appropriate administrative controls such as safe work procedures. In all cases, Suppliers shall provide workers with appropriate personal protective equipment.
Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response
Suppliers shall anticipate, identify, and assess emergency situations and events and minimize their impact by implementing emergency plans and response procedures, including emergency reporting, worker notification and evacuation procedures, worker training and drills, appropriate first-aid supplies, appropriate fire detection and suppression equipment, adequate exit facilities, and recovery plans. Suppliers shall incorporate C-TPAT security criteria into their business processes as described in the U.S. Customs website, www.cbp.gov.
Apple Supplier Code of Conduct
Occupational Safety Procedures and Systems
Suppliers shall establish procedures and systems to manage, track, and report occupational injury and illness. Such procedures and systems shall encourage worker reporting, classify and record injury and illness cases, investigate cases and implement corrective actions to eliminate their causes, provide necessary medical treatment, and facilitate the workers’ return to work.
Ergonomics
Suppliers shall identify, evaluate, and control worker exposure to physically demanding tasks, including manual material handling, heavy lifting, prolonged standing, and highly repetitive or forceful assembly tasks.
Dormitory and Dining
Suppliers shall provide workers with clean toilet facilities, access to potable water, and sanitary food preparation and storage facilities. Worker dormitories provided by the Supplier or a third-party agency shall be clean and safe and provide adequate emergency egress, adequate heat and ventilation, reasonable personal space, and reasonable entry and exit privileges.
Health and Safety Communication
In order to foster a safe work environment, Suppliers shall provide workers with appropriate workplace health and safety information and training, including written health and safety information and warnings, in the primary language of the workers. Suppliers shall post, in the primary language of its workers, Material Safety Data Sheets for any hazardous or toxic substances used in the workplace, and properly train workers who will come into contact with such substances in the workplace.
Worker Health and Safety Committees
Suppliers are encouraged to initiate and support worker health and safety committees to enhance ongoing health and safety education and to encourage worker input regarding health and safety issues in the workplace.
Environmental Impact
At Apple, environmental considerations are an integral part of our business practices. Suppliers shall commit to reducing the environmental impact of their designs, manufacturing processes, and waste emissions.
Hazardous Substance Management and Restrictions
Suppliers shall comply with the most recent version of Apple’s Regulated Substances Specification, 069-0135, and with any applicable laws and regulations prohibiting or restricting the use or handling of specific substances. To ensure safe handling, movement, storage, recycling, reuse, and disposal, Suppliers shall identify and manage substances that pose a hazard if released to the environ-ment and comply with applicable labeling laws and regulations for recycling and disposal.
Solid Waste Management
Suppliers shall manage and dispose of non-hazardous solid waste generated from operations as required by applicable laws and regulations.
Apple Supplier Code of Conduct
Wastewater and Stormwater Management
Suppliers shall monitor, control, and treat wastewater generated from operations before discharge as required by applicable laws and regulations. Suppliers shall take appropriate precautions to prevent contamination of stormwater runoff from their facilities.
Air Emissions Management
Suppliers shall characterize, monitor, control, and treat air emissions of volatile organic chemicals, aerosols, corrosives, particulates, ozone-depleting chemicals, and combustion by-products generated from operations, as required by applicable laws and regulations, before discharge.
Environmental Permits and Reporting
Suppliers must obtain, maintain, and keep current all required environmental permits (for example, discharge monitoring) and registrations and follow the operational and reporting requirements of such permits.
Pollution Prevention and Resource Reduction
Suppliers must endeavor to reduce or eliminate solid waste, wastewater, and air emissions, including energy-related indirect air emissions, by implementing appropriate conservation measures in their production, maintenance, and facilities processes, and by recycling, reusing, or substituting materials.
Ethics
Suppliers must be committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct when dealing with workers, suppliers, and customers.
Business Integrity
Corruption, extortion, and embezzlement, in any form, are strictly prohibited. Suppliers shall not violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), any international anti-corruption conventions, and applicable anti-corruption laws and regulations of the countries in which they operate, and shall not engage in corruption, extortion, or embezzlement in any form. Suppliers shall not offer or accept bribes or other means to obtain an undue or improper advantage. Suppliers must uphold fair business standards in advertising, sales, and competition.
Disclosure of Information
Suppliers must accurately record and disclose information regarding their business activities, structure, financial situation, and performance in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and prevailing industry practices.
Whistleblower Protection and Anonymous Complaints
Suppliers shall create programs to ensure the protection of Supplier and worker whistleblower confidentiality and prohibit retaliation against workers who participate in such programs in good faith or refuse an order that is in violation of the Apple Supplier Code of Conduct. Suppliers shall provide an anonymous complaint mechanism for workers to report workplace grievances in accordance with local laws and regulations.
Apple Supplier Code of Conduct
Community Engagement
Suppliers are encouraged to engage the community to help foster social and economic development and to contribute to the sustainability of the communities in which they operate.
Protection of Intellectual Property
Suppliers must respect intellectual property rights and safeguard customer information; transfer of technology and know-how must be done in a manner that protects intellectual property rights.
Management Commitment
Suppliers must adopt or establish a management system designed to ensure compliance with this Code and applicable laws and regulations; identify and mitigate related operational risks; and facilitate continuous improvement. ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, and Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) may be useful resources. The management commitment should contain the following elements:
Company Statement
A corporate social and environmental responsibility statement affirming the Supplier’s commitment to compliance and continual improvement, to be posted in the primary local language at all of the Supplier’s worksites.
Management Accountability and Responsibility
Clearly identified company representatives responsible for ensuring implementation and periodic review of the status of the Supplier’s management systems.
Risk Assessment and Management—A process to identify environmental, health and safety, business ethics, labor, human rights, and legal compliance risks associated with their operations; determine the relative significance of each risk; and implement appropriate procedures and physical controls to ensure compliance and control the identified risks. Risk assessments for health and safety must include warehouse and storage facilities, plant and facility support equipment, laboratories and test areas, bathrooms, kitchens, cafeterias, and worker housing.
Performance Objectives with Implementation Plans and Measures—Written standards, performance objectives, targets, and implementation plans, including a periodic assessment of the Supplier’s performance against those objectives.
Audits and Assessments—Periodic self-evaluations to ensure that the Supplier, its subcontractors, and its next-tier Suppliers are complying with this Code and with applicable laws and regulations.
Documentation and Records
Supplier shall have processes to identify, monitor, and understand applicable laws and regulations and the additional requirements imposed by this Code. Supplier shall obtain, maintain, and keep current a valid business license as required by applicable laws and regulations.
Supplier shall have processes for creation of documents and records to ensure regulatory compliance and conformity to this Code, with appropriate confidentiality measures to protect privacy.
Apple Supplier Code of Conduct
Training and Communication
Suppliers shall have programs in place for training managers and workers to implement their policies and procedures and to fulfill improvement objectives.
Suppliers shall have a process for communicating clear and accurate information about their performance, practices, and expectations to its workers, suppliers and customers.
Worker Feedback
Suppliers shall have an ongoing process to obtain feedback on processes and practices related to this Code and to foster continuous improvement.
Corrective Action Process
Supplier shall have a process for timely correction of any deficiencies identified by an internal or external audit, assessment, inspection, investigation, or review.
References
Apple consulted the following references in preparing this Code:
Eco-Management and Audit Scheme
www.quality.co.uk/emas.htm
Electronic Industry Code of Conduct
www.eicc.info/eicc_code.shtml
Ethical Trading Initiative
www.ethicaltrade.org/
ILO Code of Practice in Safety and Health
www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cops/english/ download/e000013
ILO International Labor Standards
www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/norm/whatare/fundam/index.htm
ISO 14001
www.iso.org
National Fire Protection Association
www.nfpa.org/categoryList.asp?categoryID=143&URL=About%20NFPA
OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
www.oecd.org
OHSAS 18001
www.bsi-global.com/index.xalter
SA 8000
www.cepaa.org/
SAI
www.sa-intl.org
United Nations Convention Against Corruption
www.unodc.org/unodc/en/corruption/index.html?ref=menuside
Apple Supplier Code of Conduct
United Nations Global Compact
www.unglobalcompact.org
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
UN Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Regard to Human Rights
www.ohchr.org
