Communication

and Reputation

Audit of Apple Inc.

MBA 595 N1 Effective Professional Communication

by Heather Schott

March 6, 2013

Audit

Design and manufacture Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software.

Apple will continue to lead the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store.

Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad (Apple).

Recognize their corporate social responsibility to minimize the environmental impacts of their operations and products.

Apple values their employees, shareholders, customers, government, community and environment.

Apple’s Mission Statement and Values

Apple is the most concerned with customers obtaining the products that will satisfy their technological needs, at the same time stressing the importance of the fair treatment of employees and improving the communities in which they live.

Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/1infiniteloopCA with over 8.7 million likes for Apple

Twitter page is https://twitter.com/AppleOfficiaI with 132,880 followers on Twitter.

On the Apple website, there is an Apple media helpline (408) 974-2042 along with an e-mail address of media.help@apple.com for any media related assistance.

Apple has made 514 TV commercials; YouTube link https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUKB83fAKU3YoXXuGDH5B1YA&page=1

Apple’s Social Media Channels

Apple Inc. is a publically held company and is required to file financial statements and formal documentations such as the 10-K and proxy statements to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The 10-K filing contains information relative to Apples performance, like financial statements, company history, the market value of common stock, voting and non-voting stocks, which are held by non-affiliates of Apple.

As of March 30, 2012, Apple’s market value of voting and non-voting stocks held by non-affiliates of the company was approximately $560,356,000,000. As of October 19, 2012, there were 940,692,000,000 shares of common stock issued and outstanding.

The proxy statement outlines how management and the board of directors are paid, potential conflicts of interest, information on voting procedures, and background information about the board and directors. Apples annual meeting of shareholders was last held on February 27, 2013, in building 4 of the company’s principle executive offices, located in Cupertino, California.

Apple’s S.E.C. Filings

Apple’s Environmental FootprintApple reports the environmental impacts comprehensively. They do this by focusing on their products: what happens when they design them, what happens when they make them, and what happens to them when they are taken home and use.

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UseRecycling Facilities

Apple adds up the emissions generated from the manufacturing, transportation, use, recycling of products, and the emissions generated by the facilities. They have learned that about 98% of Apple’s carbon footprint is directly related to the products, and 2% is facility related.

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Fortune’s Most Admired Companies in the World

Apple was ranked first in 2012 and 2011 in the computer industry, followed by EMC, and HP was ranked sixth in 2012 and third in 2011.

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Harris Interactive Reputation Quotient

In 2012 and 2011, Apple and Amazon.com received an excellent ranking while HP received a good and very good ranking. Rankings > 80 are excellent, 75 – 70 are very good, and 70 – 74 are good.

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Brand contributors and brand momentum factors are used to rank the company’s earnings and future earnings. In 2012 and 2011, Apple was ranked first, IBM ranked second and third, and HP ranked eighth and fifth in the technology brands.

Over the past years, Apple has struggled with labor practices, environmental, and supply chain management issues. Keep the labor practices in line with industry standards and strategically communicate to constituents, this will assist in improving Apples reputation and corporate social responsibility.

Maintain the support of the supply chain, Apple will continue to procure environmentally friendly materials to use in their products, which will improve their social responsibility rankings.

Apple needs to improve upon their transparency and governance. Since nongovernmental organizations are some of the most trusted in the world, Apple should continue to build strong relationships with more NGO’s. This will show constituents that Apple means what they say, and they follow through with their commitments.

Continue to improve upon their environmental and sustainability transparency through continuous monitoring and reporting of achievements and deficiencies.

Apple is the leader in the technology industry and should be an example for other companies.

Actionable Recommendations for Apple Inc.