AAPL Company

Apple grants ABC access to its Chinese supply chain, report to air February 21st

Mark Gurman | Feb 17 2012 - 7:43 pm PT

The most mainstream technology company-related controversy within the past few weeks is most likely the issue of Chinese supplier-working conditions. In January, the New York Times published a lengthy and controversial report about the supposed conditions in these supplier factories. The report claimed to source its information from former Apple executives, and it paints Apple and its suppliers in a horrible light. As we exclusively revealed, Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to the Times’ report and said, “We care about every worker in our worldwide supply chain. Any accident is deeply troubling, and any issue with working conditions is cause for concern.”

Apple and Cook went even further and opened Apple’s supply chain to a full review by the Fair Labor Association. Cook recently spoke about Apple’s supply chain safety efforts at the Goldman Sach’s conference earlier this week. Now, in an unprecedented move, Apple granted ABC Nightline full access to its Chinese supply chain. ABC’s Bill Weir traveled to Shenzhen, China for an exclusive look inside Apple’s supply chain, and ABC provided the following quote from Weir about his trip:

For years, Apple and Foxconn have been synonymous with monster profits and total secrecy so it was fascinating to wander the iphone and iPod production lines, meet the people who build them and see how they live. Our cameras were rolling when thousands of hopeful applicants rushed the Foxconn gates and I spoke with dozens of line workers and a top executive about everything from hours and pay to the controversies over suicides at the plant and the infamous “jumper nets” that line the factories in Shenzhen. After this trip, I’ll never see an Apple product the same way again.

ABC decided to spread its coverage across “Good Morning America,” “World News with Diane Sawyer,” “ABCNews.com,” “ABC News Radio,” and “ABC Newsone.” The first look inside Apple’s factories will show on “ABC Nightline” Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 11:35 p.m. EST.

ABC’s parent is Disney Corporation whose CEO, Bob Iger, sits on Apple’s Board. Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs and now his family are the biggest individual shareholders of Disney.