Supply Chain Innovation
Innovation for all.
Business can and should be a force for good. Apple products are designed in California and built by people all over the world. We strive to uphold our high standards everywhere we operate, supporting the people and communities across our global supply chain, and working to protect the planet we all share.
A world of learning.
Professional development, United States
Feature
A world of learning.
Education is a powerful equalizing force.
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Professional development, United States
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Vocational Education for Persons with Disabilities, China mainland
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Health education training, Vietnam
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Robotics training, India
The Apple Supplier Employee Development Fund is our $50 million commitment to further invest in the people in our supply chain — and to innovate and expand on our long-running education programs.
Through the Fund, supplier employees learn about their workplace rights and gain opportunities to develop new skills such as coding, smart manufacturing fundamentals, language learning, health training, and leadership development.
Since the Fund’s launch, we have delivered more than 5.7 million training and education sessions, with our programs reaching more than 8 million people since 2008. Through the Fund, we are providing people all over the world with opportunities to advance in their jobs or explore new job paths.
More about Apple’s Supply Chain
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People
We act on feedback.
Component manufacturing, China mainland
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Education
Skills that open doors.
Robotics training, China mainland
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Feature
Accountability from day one.
Logistics and repair, United States
Accountability
from day one.
Logistics and repair, United States
Feature
Accountability
from day one.
Logistics and repair, United States
Apple products are designed in California and made by people all over the world. Thousands of businesses and millions of people in more than 50 countries and regions are part of our supply chain, contributing their skills to help build, deliver, repair, and recycle our products.
Our suppliers are required to meet the strict standards of the Apple Supplier Code of Conduct, no matter where they operate or what type of goods, services, or labor they provide to Apple. The Code’s requirements cover labor and human rights, health and safety, the environment, ethics, and management practices.
We are committed to holding ourselves and our suppliers accountable to high standards. This includes working to make sure our strict standards are met before production begins, conducting regular assessments of our suppliers’ performance, and actively listening to supplier employees.
Assessments, conducted by independent third-party auditors, thoroughly examine a supplier’s operations through worker and management interviews, detailed site walkthroughs, and comprehensive documentation reviews. In addition to planned assessments, we also conduct unannounced visits, where the supplier has no advance knowledge of the auditor’s arrival.
How we hold suppliers accountable.
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Check before work starts
Before we award business to a supplier or begin production, we check for any potential human rights, environmental, or other risks, and we work with them to address any issues found.
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Listen to supplier employees
As part of our supplier assessment process, tens of thousands of confidential interviews are conducted with supplier employees about their workplace experiences.
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Investigate reports
In addition to addressing the feedback we receive from supplier employees, we promptly investigate any allegations we receive, with Apple experts typically arriving onsite within 24 to 48 hours.
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Take swift action
If a violation of our standards is discovered, we require suppliers to promptly implement a plan to correct it, and to strengthen their policies and procedures to prevent the issue from reoccurring.
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893
assessments of supplier facilities conducted in 2024, with more than 22% being unannounced visits
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125
new or expanding supplier facilities that were assessed in 2024 for their ability to meet our requirements before entering our supply chain
More about Apple’s Supply Chain
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People
We act on feedback.
Component manufacturing, China mainland
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Education
Skills that open doors.
Robotics training, China mainland
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Feature
A world of learning.
Professional development, United States
Labor and human rights at the foundation.
Logistics and repair, United States
People
Labor and human rights at the foundation.
Logistics and repair, United States
Everyone has the right to work in a safe and healthy environment where they’re treated with dignity and respect. We strive to protect these rights with every decision we make, including the suppliers we choose to work with, the materials we select for our products, and the processes and equipment used to make them.
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iMac assembly, Ireland
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Component manufacturing, China mainland
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Logistics and repair, United States
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Component manufacturing, China mainland
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AirPods Pro assembly, Vietnam
Our standards apply globally, regardless of where people live or work or which job they do. We require our suppliers to educate their employees on their workplace rights, including how to share feedback directly with us if those rights aren’t being respected. With the help of experts, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and workers themselves, we consistently strengthen our requirements and programs to meet the needs and uphold the rights of people across our supply chain.
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2.5M+
supplier employees trained on their workplace rights in 2024
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1.4M+
supplier employees’ working hours reviewed weekly to verify compliance with our standards
More about People in Apple’s Supply Chain
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People
The strongest standards in hiring.
Product personalization, United States
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People
We act on feedback.
Component manufacturing, China mainland
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Feature
Accountability from day one.
Logistics and repair, United States
We act on feedback.
Component manufacturing, China mainland
People
We act on feedback.
Component manufacturing, China mainland
We encourage everyone across our supply chain to share feedback directly with Apple. That’s why we’re focused on ways to amplify their voices. We interview and survey hundreds of thousands of supplier employees each year and provide hotlines, as well as a feedback form on this website, so they can anonymously raise concerns to us. We use this feedback to support our suppliers in strengthening their operations and management practices, providing the best possible experience for their employees.
In addition to addressing the feedback we receive from supplier employees, we promptly investigate any allegations we receive, with Apple experts typically arriving onsite within 24 to 48 hours. Apple does not tolerate retaliation, and any supplier that retaliates against an employee for raising a concern faces immediate consequences, up to and including termination of their business with Apple. We require our suppliers to promptly address any issues that arise, and we regularly check on their progress until we confirm that all necessary actions have been taken.
If suppliers are unwilling or unable to correct any issues, they risk removal from our supply chain. Since 2009, we have removed 25 manufacturing supplier facilities and 229 smelters and refiners from our supply chain for failing to meet our standards.
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1.3M+
supplier employees directly engaged by Apple about their workplace experiences in 2024
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7.5K+
improvements made to supplier workplaces in 2024 based on employee feedback
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665K+
people at 42 supplier sites reached by our hotline awareness campaign, which provides information on how to raise workplace concerns
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37K+
supplier employees contacted after interviews to ensure that they didn’t experience retaliation
More about People in Apple’s Supply Chain
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People
Labor and human rights at the foundation.
Logistics and repair, United States
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People
The strongest standards in hiring.
Product personalization, United States
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Feature
Accountability from day one.
Logistics and repair, United States
The strongest standards in hiring.
Product personalization, United States
People
The strongest standards in hiring.
Product personalization, United States
Apple does not tolerate forced labor. Our policies that prevent forced labor apply globally, regardless of a person’s job, location, or how they were hired. We require that job recruitment processes be free and fair, prohibiting practices such as charging fees to secure a job — even where it’s allowed by law. We’ve partnered with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency, to create easy-to-use tools that help suppliers recruit people ethically and with respect for their human rights. Our work to prevent forced labor extends throughout a worker’s employment journey.
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0
instances found where people were forced to work in our supply chain in 2024
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1.4M+
supplier employees covered by responsible labor recruitment due diligence training since 2019
More about People in Apple’s Supply Chain
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People
Labor and human rights at the foundation.
Logistics and repair, United States
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People
We act on feedback.
Component manufacturing, China mainland
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Feature
Accountability from day one.
Logistics and repair, United States
Accessibility by design.
Vocational Education for Persons with Disabilities, China mainland
Education
Accessibility by design.
Vocational Education for Persons with Disabilities, China mainland
We believe that the best technology works for everyone and that focusing on accessibility extends to making jobs in our supply chain open to more people.
In 2022, we launched the Vocational Education for Persons with Disabilities program to help our suppliers create manufacturing environments that are more accessible, providing community and accommodations for people who would benefit from tailored support.
In addition to modifying physical workplaces, participating suppliers across the United States, China mainland, India, and Vietnam are also delivering training to create inclusive environments and building community through extracurricular activities and gatherings.
Participants in the program hold a variety of manufacturing roles that were previously not accessible, with some advancing to leadership roles in their facilities.
Vocational Education for Persons with Disabilities, China mainland
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18K+
participants across 56 supplier facilities in the Vocational Education for Persons with Disabilities program since its launch in 2022
More about Education in Apple’s Supply Chain
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Education
Health
starts with knowledge.Health education training, Vietnam
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Education
Swift learning.
Apple Education Hub, China mainland
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Education
Skills that open doors.
Robotics training, China mainland
Skills that open doors.
Robotics training, China mainland
Education
Skills that open doors.
Robotics training, China mainland
Through the Apple Education Hub, part of the Apple Supplier Employee Development Fund, people across our supply chain are able to access technical education and resources on topics such as personal development, leadership, computer science, coding, robotics, recycling, and advanced manufacturing. These programs enrich supplier employees’ workplace experiences and provide the skills needed to pursue opportunities in highly technical fields. For example, graduates of our Swift coding program have launched apps on the Apple App Store, meeting our high bar required for publication.
We partner with leading experts such as the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) in the United States, Zhejiang University in China mainland, and St. John’s Medical College in India to ensure that our programs are innovative, meaningful, and connected to relevant opportunities in local job markets.
iMac assembly, Ireland
Component manufacturing, India
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74K+
supplier employees who have graduated from our Swift coding program since 2017
More about Education in Apple’s Supply Chain
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Education
Health
starts with knowledge.Health education training, Vietnam
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Education
Swift learning.
Apple Education Hub, China mainland
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Education
Accessibility by design.
Vocational Education for Persons with Disabilities, China mainland
Health starts with knowledge.
Health education training, Vietnam
Education
Health starts with knowledge.
Health education training, Vietnam
We’re committed to cultivating a supply chain where people can thrive — inside and outside work. This means providing the people in our supply chain with the tools needed to focus on their physical and mental health. Since 2017, millions of supplier employees have benefited from training on essential topics such as nutrition, reproductive health, early disease detection, and mental health. These programs are tailored to meet the needs of people at each participating site, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to take control of their own health, which can be shared with their communities to multiply the impact.
Component manufacturing, India
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5.8M+
people reached by our health and wellness programs since 2017
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54K+
participants in our mental wellbeing programs in 2024
More about Education in Apple’s Supply Chain
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Education
Accessibility by design.
Vocational Education for Persons with Disabilities, China mainland
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Education
Swift learning.
Apple Education Hub, China mainland
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Education
Skills that open doors.
Robotics training, China mainland
Swift learning.
Apple Education Hub, China mainland
Education
Swift learning.
Apple Education Hub, China mainland
Coding is an important skill for many of the jobs of today and tomorrow. Through our coding program, supplier employees have the opportunity to learn Swift — a powerful Apple programming language for our platforms.
Participants begin with coding fundamentals before moving on to the advanced level, where they learn how to design and code their apps. Many participants have created apps for use at their own facilities, with some even creating apps that meet the high standards required for publication on the Apple App Store.
Chromaticity Assistant is one of the apps developed by supplier employees in our Swift coding program. It helps manage and monitor the color quality of displays during manufacturing.
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340K+
supplier employees have participated in our coding program since 2017
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25
apps created by program participants and published on the App Store
More about Education in Apple’s Supply Chain
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Education
Health
starts with knowledge.Health education training, Vietnam
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Education
Accessibility by design.
Vocational Education for Persons with Disabilities, China mainland
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Education
Skills that open doors.
Robotics training, China mainland
Advanced. Manufacturing.
Aluminum recycling, China mainland
Health and Safety
Advanced. Manufacturing.
Aluminum recycling, China mainland
As we continue to drive innovation in our products, the machines and facilities used to build them become more advanced. This is why we’re regularly reviewing and strengthening our machine safety programs to help keep the people who operate manufacturing equipment safe on the job. We require suppliers to design safer equipment from the start and to conduct regular trainings on topics such as the use of safety devices, inspection basics, automation safety, and hazards associated with moving parts. We also require suppliers to regularly inspect equipment and safety procedures to confirm that machines remain in safe working condition and that the rules put in place to keep people safe are being enforced and followed. If we do find issues, we work with suppliers to correct them and prevent them from happening again.
Silicon manufacturing, United States
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800+
supplier sites enrolled in our enhanced machine safety training since 2024
More about Health and Safety in Apple’s Supply Chain
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Health and Safety
Leading the way on smarter chemistry.
Apple Watch assembly, Vietnam
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Health and Safety
Safety built in.
Material recovery, United States
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Feature
Accountability from day one.
Logistics and repair, United States
Safety built in.
Material recovery, United States
Health and Safety
Safety built in.
Material recovery, United States
Everyone has the right to be safe at work. We work hard to verify that the materials, machines, and processes used to make our products safeguard the health and safety of the people in our supply chain and the planet we all share. We consistently update our industry-leading health and safety standards and confirm that our suppliers meet those standards through regular inspections. We also partner with our suppliers to build a workplace culture that puts health and safety at the forefront every day, including by requiring training and providing ways for employees to speak up if they identify opportunities to improve safety practices.
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Silicon manufacturing, United States
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Apple Vision Pro assembly, China mainland
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Logistics, Czech Republic
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Apple Watch assembly, Vietnam
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iPhone assembly, India
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1.7K+
supplier sites participated in safety training since 2022
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108
assessments conducted in 2024 to validate that supplier facilities were ready to meet our standards before manufacturing started
More about Health and Safety in Apple’s Supply Chain
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Health and Safety
Advanced. Manufacturing.
Aluminum recycling, China mainland
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Health and Safety
Leading the way on smarter chemistry.
Apple Watch assembly, Vietnam
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Feature
Accountability from day one.
Logistics and repair, United States
Leading the way on smarter chemistry.
Apple Watch assembly, Vietnam
Health and Safety
Leading the way on smarter chemistry.
Apple Watch assembly, Vietnam
Consideration for the safety of supplier employees and customers guides the decisions we make about the materials we use in our products. We require our suppliers to follow our industry-leading chemical safety standards as we work to protect employees, communities, and the environment against chemical hazards. This includes working together to use safer materials in our products and manufacturing processes, such as in the cleaners used during product assembly. By collaborating with leading experts and nonprofit organizations, we’re accelerating the adoption of safer chemicals across the electronics industry, fostering safer working conditions for people far beyond our own supply chain.
For a fourth year, Apple has been recognized as a Safer Choice Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for our work in improving chemical safety in electronics manufacturing.
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1K+
suppliers that reported data on the chemicals used in their facilities in 2024, allowing Apple to validate compliance with safety standards
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200+
new safer cleaners approved for use in our supply chain
More about Health and Safety in Apple’s Supply Chain
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Health and Safety
Advanced. Manufacturing.
Aluminum recycling, China mainland
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Health and Safety
Safety built in.
Material recovery, United States
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Feature
Accountability from day one.
Logistics and repair, United States
A carbon neutral supply chain by 2030.
Apple Watch assembly, Vietnam
Environment
A carbon neutral supply chain by 2030.
Apple Watch assembly, Vietnam
Apple’s worldwide corporate operations have been carbon neutral since 2020, and we’ve set a goal to become carbon neutral across our entire carbon footprint by 2030.
Reaching our Apple 2030 goal means we first need to continue reducing the carbon emissions from our manufacturing processes. To make this happen, we’re designing our products to be less carbon-intensive, increasing our use of recycled and renewable materials, improving material efficiency, and transitioning our entire supply chain to 100 percent renewable energy. We’ll then use carbon removal to address the small amount of remaining emissions, starting with high-quality nature-based solutions, like those in the Apple Restore Fund.
We’ve called on our suppliers to decarbonize their Apple production by 2030, and we’re helping them get there through targeted programs and training to improve energy efficiency and identify sources of high-quality renewable energy.
Apple Watch assembly, Vietnam
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100%
of Apple suppliers aiming to be carbon neutral for their Apple production by 2030
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Nearly 18
gigawatts of renewable energy sourced by Apple suppliers in 2024
More about Environment in Apple’s Supply Chain
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Environment
Environmental rights are human rights.
Solar array, United States
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Environment
A zero-waste mindset.
iPhone assembly, China mainland
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Environment
Our journey to 100% recycled or renewable.
Materials recovered by Daisy, Apple’s iPhone disassembly robot, United States
Environmental rights are human rights.
Solar array, United States
Environment
Environmental rights are human rights.
Solar array, United States
Our approach to protecting the planet considers not only the environmental implications of every decision we make, but also the impact of those decisions on people, particularly those living and working in communities disproportionately affected by climate change. This is why we consider our supply chain in the context of the local communities where our suppliers operate.
We collaborate with local partners — including companies, NGOs, and government agencies — to help address the diverse environmental needs of these communities, from improving water quality across entire watersheds to strengthening resilience to extreme weather. We piloted a program with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to help a small community in the Philippines better withstand the impacts of repeated typhoons through the construction of resilient shelters. We share learnings from these projects across and beyond our supply chain, helping benefit more communities around the world.
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Supplier hydroelectric facility, Austria
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Taihu Basin, China mainland, an important focus of Apple’s Clean Water Program
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Supplier solar array installation, Japan
More about Environment in Apple’s Supply Chain
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Environment
A carbon neutral supply chain by 2030.
Apple Watch assembly, Vietnam
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Environment
A zero-waste mindset.
iPhone assembly, China mainland
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Environment
Our journey to 100% recycled or renewable.
Materials recovered by Daisy, Apple’s iPhone disassembly robot, United States
A zero-waste mindset.
iPhone assembly, China mainland
Environment
A zero-waste mindset.
iPhone assembly, China mainland
We’re dedicated to minimizing resource use and waste as we build our products. We require our suppliers to avoid sending waste to landfills by implementing recycling and reuse programs and developing innovative materials and recycling strategies. Today, all established final assembly sites where Apple products are assembled and packaged are Zero Waste Certified.
Water is a critical resource shared by people and ecosystems around the world, and we’re working to protect it for future generations. Through our Clean Water Program, we’re helping suppliers reduce their water usage, promote water recycling, and prevent water pollution. Since the launch of this program in 2013, 29 of our suppliers’ facilities have achieved certification through the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), the world’s leading water stewardship organization. Earning this certification requires suppliers to adopt industry-leading water conservation and stewardship practices while also engaging with their community to protect resources across their local water basin.
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Component manufacturing, China mainland
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Component manufacturing, China mainland
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600K+
tons of waste diverted from landfills by Apple suppliers in 2024
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90B+
gallons of fresh water saved through the Apple Clean Water Program since 2013
More about Environment in Apple’s Supply Chain
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Environment
Environmental rights are human rights.
Solar array, United States
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Environment
A carbon neutral supply chain by 2030.
Apple Watch assembly, Vietnam
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Environment
Our journey to 100% recycled or renewable.
Materials recovered by Daisy, Apple’s iPhone disassembly robot, United States
Our journey to 100% recycled or renewable.
Materials recovered by Daisy, Apple’s iPhone disassembly robot, United States
Environment
Our journey to 100% recycled or renewable.
Materials recovered by Daisy, Apple’s iPhone disassembly robot, United States
Our goal is to one day build our products using only recycled or renewable materials and to end our reliance on mining. Each year, we move closer to that goal, with more components being made with 100 percent recycled or renewable materials. Effectively disassembling and recycling our products after use is a key part of our work to support a circular economy. These processes, led by Apple’s disassembly robots Daisy, Dave, and Taz, help recover valuable materials that can be used again, making the best use of limited resources and enabling us to design and build the next generation of devices to be even better for people and the planet. We help our suppliers efficiently and safely recycle our products by providing Recycler Guides and conducting assessments to verify that they’re meeting our standards.
We maintain strict standards for the responsible sourcing of materials — whether primary or recycled. Although Apple does not source primary material directly from mine sites, we work closely with our suppliers to uphold our standards and support partners that work to improve conditions in and around mining communities.
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Supplier solar array installation, Germany
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Daisy, Apple’s iPhone disassembly robot, United States
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iPhone 16 Pro Max, containing more than 25% recycled content, China mainland
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100%
responsibly sourced key materials in batteries, whether primary or recycled
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100%
recycled cobalt targeted to be used in all Apple-designed batteries by the end of 2025*
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100%
recycled rare earth elements targeted to be used in all magnets across Apple products by the end of 2025
More about Environment in Apple’s Supply Chain
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Environment
Environmental rights are human rights.
Solar array, United States
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Environment
A zero-waste mindset.
iPhone assembly, China mainland
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Environment
A carbon neutral supply chain by 2030.
Apple Watch assembly, Vietnam
Read our 2025 reports to learn more about our dedication to people and the planet.
More from Apple on our global supply chain.
Our values lead the way.
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Environment
We’re committed to bringing our net emissions to zero across our entire carbon footprint by 2030.
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Inclusion and Diversity
We’re holding ourselves accountable for creating a culture where everyone belongs.
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Racial Equity
and Justice InitiativeWe’re addressing systemic racism by expanding opportunities for communities of color globally.
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Education
We empower students and educators to learn, create, and define their own success.
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Privacy
We design every product and service to keep your data safe and secure.
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Accessibility
Our built-in accessibility features are designed to work the way you do.