...The audit is only a pilot project meant for one supplier factory at this point. But the environmental group hopes Apple will agree to more joint audits in the future, Wang said. "We think this is a very positive step made by Apple," she said. "We hope this won't simply be a pilot project, but that more open inspections will continue."
IPE and other Chinese environmental groups have criticized Apple for allegedly failing to stop the environmental damage caused by its suppliers in China. But last year, Apple held discussions with the groups to address the concerns, according to IPE. Apple decided to hire a third-party auditing firm to investigate some of its suppliers, but the results were not fully shared with the public, Wang said.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
