Apple supplier Foxconn has directed recruitment agencies in India to remove age, gender, and marital status criteria, as well as references to the company's name, from job advertisements for iPhone assembly roles, news agency Reuters reported. The decision comes after a Reuters investigation in June highlighted discriminatory hiring practices at Foxconn’s factory near Chennai.
The investigation revealed that Foxconn’s recruitment vendors had posted job ads specifying eligibility only for unmarried women within certain age groups — contravening both Apple and Foxconn's anti-discrimination policies. While these restrictions were reportedly eased during peak production periods, the company faced scrutiny for excluding married women from employment.
Revised Recruitment Guidelines
Foxconn outsources the recruitment of assembly-line workers to third-party vendors, who identify and screen candidates. Following the Reuters report, the company instructed these vendors to standardise their job advertisements using templates provided by Foxconn. According to sources familiar with the matter, the revised ads eliminate references to gender, marital status, and age.
"The instructions for ads were: Don't mention the unmarried requirement, don’t mention age, nor male or female either," a recruitment agent told Reuters under anonymity.
Foxconn has also warned vendors against using its name in advertisements, citing potential contract termination for violations. A meeting held in late June addressed the media coverage of the company’s hiring practices, with HR executives reinforcing these directives.
Updated Job Postings
Recent job advertisements reviewed by Reuters reflect these changes. One new template describes smartphone assembly roles but omits identifying the employer or specifying demographic criteria. Instead, the ads highlight benefits such as air-conditioned workplaces, free transport, canteen facilities, and a monthly salary of Rs 14,974 (about $177).
Nine updated advertisements, some written in Tamil, matched the new template when Reuters visited Sriperumbudur in October. Recruitment agency representatives confirmed that these ads were for Foxconn positions, adhering strictly to the company’s updated guidelines. "We only use the ads Foxconn gives us for hiring," a manager at recruitment agency Proodle stated.
Govt Investigations Underway
The allegations of discriminatory hiring prompted investigations by both federal and state authorities in India. Labor officials visited the Sriperumbudur facility in July and interviewed company executives. However, findings from these probes have not been made public. Tamil Nadu's state government declined a Reuters request for the investigation report, citing confidentiality.
Apple and Foxconn have both stated previously that married women are eligible for employment at the Sriperumbudur factory but declined to comment on the recent changes or investigations. Reuters could not independently confirm whether Foxconn has begun hiring more married women.
Strategic Importance of India
Foxconn’s Chennai plant plays a vital role in Apple's strategy to diversify its manufacturing base outside of China amidst geopolitical tensions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government views Foxconn's operations as a cornerstone of India's efforts to ascend the global manufacturing value chain.
The scrutiny of Foxconn’s hiring practices underscores the broader challenge of aligning global corporations' policies with local practices in emerging markets.