Forced Labor
& Child Labor

Micron and our stakeholders support the advancement of human rights along our value chain.

Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics aligns with the RBA code of conduct, which explicitly states that child labor and forced labor are not permitted in any stage of the business. Factories are regularly audited for conformance to these standards. Micron actively works to uphold the highest level of labor ethics in our own operations, and we also expect our suppliers, contractors and joint venture partners to adhere to our Code, human rights policy, and child labor and forced labor laws.

Technology
Two women looking at computer screen

Our commitment to these concerns is made public through our Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement. As part of our ongoing due diligence in this area, we regularly conduct supplier risk assessments to understand how well suppliers address the issues, with specific focus on operations in areas more at risk for human rights violations. Beyond these important issues, Micron also monitors the following human rights concerns as they relate to our supply chain:

  • Working hours
  • Fair wages and benefits
  • Worker health and safety
  • Nondiscrimination and anti-harassment
  • Freedom of association

RBA Code of Conduct

The best outcomes happen when our industry works together. The RBA plays a critical role in upholding a single set of expectations regarding social and environmental responsibility and a single process for demonstrating conformance. Through RBA training materials, monitoring tools and third-party audits, we support the efforts of our key suppliers to maintain responsible operations. We also hold them accountable when they veer off course. To comply with the RBA code in our own operations, we have adopted a vigorous management approach that includes training employees on code requirements and using third-party auditors to verify our actions. Our global RBA oversight team includes representatives from legal, human resources, EHS and supplier management functions. They monitor key RBA metrics across all of our manufacturing locations and review quarterly reports on Micron’s overall RBA performance.

This oversight of human rights begins with anyone who works on a Micron site in any capacity, from security to construction work. It extends to the employees of our suppliers and to any person hired temporarily by suppliers, who in some parts of the world are foreign migrant workers. Many of Micron’s suppliers are located in Asia, where human rights violations against these workers have been documented. For example, workers may have their passports withheld or be charged recruiting or administrative fees before being hired. These fees can amount to more than several months’ pay and may require workers to take out loans, effectively forcing them to pay to have a job. In addition, most of these workers send the majority of their earnings back to their home countries to support their families, making the payment of loans and fees especially burdensome.

Supporting Suppliers in Malaysia

As we grow our business and respond to evolving trade pressures around the world, Micron is seeking suppliers in new locations. One area where we — and many other technology companies — are expanding our supply base is in Malaysia, which has new national leadership and is experiencing a time of rapid development.

Many new players are operating in this country, some who may not yet be familiar with industry standards for suppliers such as the RBA code of conduct that establishes policies related to forced labor, anti-bribery and other key issues. In our years of work with suppliers around the world, we have learned that it is easier to communicate our expectations and mitigate risk up front than to correct issues later.

To help new Malaysian suppliers better understand our expectations, Micron is conducting more in-depth onboarding as well as expanded audits of these suppliers’ facilities. During these audits, we have identified and addressed issues related to working hours, overtime pay and living conditions for foreign migrant workers. We have also introduced several local suppliers to the RBA code of conduct, enabling them to implement policies and procedures in alignment with it. As we continue to add suppliers in this part of the world, we are standardizing our engagement processes for suppliers who may need extra support and we plan to expand the use of the RBA code by more suppliers.

RBA code requirements limiting forced labor differ from the laws regarding fees, levies and working hours in many countries where we do business. While this adds complexity, we enforce the more stringent standard if local laws and the RBA code differ. Micron is actively involved, along with other members of the RBA, in eliminating forced labor issues in our supply chain through training, dialogue with government officials and interviews with foreign migrant workers about their conditions.

machinery
Supply Chain Risk Assessment Previous page arrow Responsible Minerals Previous page arrow