“As part of the initiative, the company will work alongside supply chain partners to amplify the voice of workers”
“As part of the initiative, the company will work alongside supply chain partners to amplify the voice of workers”
Tech giant Apple on Wednesday announced a $50 million global “Supplier Employee Development Fund” with the aim of expanding access to learning opportunities and skills development, including for employees of suppliers across India.
As part of this initiative, the company will work alongside supply chain partners to amplify the voice of workers. This includes supporting workers’ rights programs created by the International Labor Organization (ILO) for people working in the electronics sector, and the work that the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is doing to expand rights training and intensify its industry-leading responsible workforce recruitment. tools.
“The new education initiatives will make training and courses available to supplier employees around the world, with programming initially available to individuals in the United States, China, India and Vietnam,” the company said. company, adding that by 2023, it expects more than 1,00,000 supplier employees to participate in new learning opportunities – from leadership training and technical certifications to courses in coding, robotics and principles. fundamentals of advanced manufacturing, including green manufacturing.
The tech giant expects tens of thousands of employees across India to be able to take part in programs, including leadership training for local supervisors and automation training, helping their personal and professional development.
The fund also includes new and expanded partnerships with leading advocates, universities and nonprofits to drive Apple’s ongoing work to empower supplier employees and improve awareness and respect. rights at work across all sectors, the company said in a statement.
“We put people first in everything we do, and we’re proud to announce a new commitment to accelerate our progress and bring even more opportunities to people throughout our supply chain,” said Sarah Chandler, Apple’s Senior Director of Environment and Supply Chain. Innovation.
As part of its Supplier Code of Conduct, Apple requires all suppliers to provide their employees with training on their labor rights. To date, more than 23 million people in Apple’s global supply chain have received essential worker rights training.