Google uncovers hundreds of labour and safety violations at factories making its electronics

Google asks its suppliers to adhere to a code which protects workers from long hours and poor pay, and workplace hazards

Google has uncovered hundreds of labour and safety violations at factories making its phones, laptops and speakers.

The technology giant admitted that it found 676 violations of its supplier code in a report to investors this month, a 22pc increase from the year before and the highest number since it first published the annual data in 2017.

These included worker exposure to unsafe chemicals, excessive working hours and underpayment in supplier factories across China, India, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

Some workers were subjected to working more than 60 hours a week, or more than six consecutive days without rest, which is in breach of the standards it sets for suppliers, the report stated, adding that “working hours and health and safety continued to be important focus areas”.

Some employees were not paid legal minimum wage or benefits. Other infringements included exposure to hazardous chemicals. The violations were discovered during 47 on-site assessments at some of its 1,000 suppliers’ factories, which make parts for Google data centres along with consumer electronics.

This number has risen consecutively since 2017, with Google blaming the addition of more suppliers to accommodate demand for its products and new launches. Google said it expects suppliers to demonstrate improvements in order to continue working with them.

Although Google will not release its findings from 2020 until next year, it said that it expected suppliers to adhere to local Covid-19 guidelines “such as maintaining an infectious disease preparedness and response plan, enacting infection prevention, creating procedures for identifying and isolating sick people”. Google declined to comment.

Last year Apple announced its own policy aimed at improving the rights of people who make its smartphone and laptops following years of criticism over the treatment of Chinese workers.

It was accused of labour violations in 2019 by China Labour Watch, a human rights charity. At the time, Apple denied all but the allegation that it employed more temporary workers than China’s laws allowed.