Chris Nuttall

Tim Cook, Apple chief executive, has defended the company?s record on working conditions in its supply chain following protests and widespread criticism over how major suppliers treated employees.

In a rare public interview, Mr Cook told a Goldman Sachs technology conference that no one in the technology industry had done more than Apple to improve working conditions in its supply chain.

He said Apple was taking the unprecedented step of providing monthly reports on its website of how its suppliers were complying with its code of conduct ?so it?s transparent to everyone what we?re doing?.

Apple stores around the world last week received petitions with more than 250,000 signatures calling for Apple to investigate suppliers? factories and commit to comprehensive protection for workers employed there.

This followed media reports alleging safety violations, employment of underage workers, excessive overtime being worked and improper disposal of hazardous waste by suppliers in China. Apple said the Washington-based Fair Labor Association

would conduct special voluntary audits of its suppliers. ?We think the use of underage labour is abhorrent, our top priority is to eliminate it totally,? Mr Cook said.

He added that Apple collected weekly data in January on the working hours of more than 500,000 workers in its supply chain and found 84 per cent compliance with its code of conduct, which caps hours at 60 a week. He said this was a significant improvement ?but we can do better?.

On the matter of safety, he said Apple studied production processes to see if they could be made safer and if even a single fire extinguisher was missing from a staff restaurant in its supply chain, the building would not pass inspection.

Mr Cook, who took over as chief executive from an ailing Steve Jobs in the summer, was asked about his priorities as chief executive.

?I?m not going to witness or permit the slow undoing of Apple, because I believe in it so deeply,? said.

Asked about its plans for around $100bn in cash held by the company, Mr Cook said Apple spent its money as if it was its last penny. ?We?re not going to have a toga party,? he said.

However, he said the issue was being discussed more now than in the past. ?I only ask for a bit of a patience, so we can do this in a deliberate way and make the best decision.?