Samsung Electronics on Monday said that it has decided to suspend business with a Chinese supplier accused of employing underage workers.
The smartphone giant’s latest move comes within days after a US watchdog, China Labour Watch reported that Dongguan Shinyang Electronics is indulging in an “illegal hiring process.”
The report accused that the supplier hired at-least five minor workers at the Dongguan plant for around 3 to 6 months to work night shifts lasting 11 hours each day. The report followed the South Korean smartphone maker’s sustainability report which found no child labour cases at any of its supplier production plants.
Samsung said that it immediately conducted an investigation into the Chinese supplier after the watchdog report surfaced last week. The decision to halt business terms was taken after possible evidence of child labour at Dongguan Shinyang Electronics was found.
Samsung noted that it had conducted three audits at Dongguan Shinyang Electronics facility since 2013, with the latest one ending on June 25, 2014. However, no child labour cases were found during those audits.
Furthermore, the South Korean company also said that if local Chinese authorities, who are still looking into the case, concludes the allegations to be true then it will permanently end up business terms with Shinyang in accordance with its zero-tolerance policy on child labour.
The tech giant said in order to prevent child labour incidents in future; it will strengthen its own hiring process as well as hiring at its production facilities.
