Apple bans bonded labour at supplier factories worldwide

San Francisco

APPLE Inc, which has faced criticism for worker conditions at its suppliers in Asia, is requiring factories to pay recruitment fees for employees instead of saddling the costs on new hires.

The maker of iPhones informed suppliers in October that it would prohibit any worker on an Apple line from being charged such expenses, which is a practice known as bonded labour, the Cupertino, California-based company said in its annual supplier audit released on Wednesday.