Sriperumbudur: Foxconn's chairman defended its hiring practices after New Delhi ordered investigations following a news agency Reuters report that claimed the Apple supplier rejects married women from iPhone assembly jobs. However, the company is aiming to set up a battery energy storage system unit in India. "Foxconn hires regardless of gender, but women make up a big part of our workforce Sriperumbudur," Young Liu said during the opening ceremony for a hostel complex for its workers near Chennai in Tamil Nadu on Saturday. "I emphasise married women greatly contribute to the efforts of what we're doing here," he added, making his first comments since the Reuters investigation.
Liu did not take questions from media at the hostel complex that the state government says is "exclusive" to 18,720 Foxconn women workers. The multi-storey hostel buildings are located close to the iPhone-making plant.
What happened with the Foxconn hiring process?
The Reuters investigation published in June found that Foxconn systematically excluded married women from jobs at its main India iPhone assembly plant on the grounds they have more family responsibilities than their unmarried counterparts. Foxconn acknowledged some lapses in hiring practices in 2022 and said it had worked to address the issues, but added that it "vigorously refutes allegations of employment discrimination." The story triggered TV debates and newspaper editorials.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who met the company chief in New Delhi on August 15, ordered Tamil Nadu to provide a "detailed report" on it, and his labour officials also visited the iPhone factory to question executives. New Delhi has not yet released any findings.
Foxconn told labour officials its main India iPhone factory employs 41,281 people, including 33,360 women. Of these women, some 2,750, or about 8 per cent, were married. It did not break down the staffing figures into specific areas such as iPhone assembly, where Reuters reported the discrimination was taking place. Foxconn in recent years has expanded in India, where it makes iPhones and products for other smartphone brands, and has plans to move into AirPods and chipmaking.
Foxconn aims to set up battery energy storage unit
It is worth mentioning Taiwan's Foxconn in recent years has expanded in India, where it makes iPhones and products for other smartphone brands, and has plans to move into AirPods and chipmaking. Still, Foxconn withdrew in July last year from a $19.5 billion semiconductor joint venture with Indian conglomerate Vedanta, in a setback to New Delhi's chipmaking plans.
Still, on Sunday, the company chief said he is working on plans to set up a battery energy storage system unit in India. "We are also waiting to put our 3+3 future industry in India. I have been talking to the minister for industries here about how can we collaborate on BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) in Tamil Nadu...," Liu said. As part of the "3+3 strategy", Foxconn has prioritised the three key industries -- electric vehicles, digital health, and robotics -- each has a significant growth potential with current scale at USD 1.4 trillion and over 20 per cent compound annual growth rate.
Foxconn's battery storage business is more focused on electric vehicles. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) enable energy storage from renewable sources like solar and wind. Foxconn has set up its first BESS unit in Taiwan for e-Buses. The unit is expected to start mass production this year.
(With inputs from agencies
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