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APAC Edition
29th November 2024
 
THE HOT STORY
China's Bytedance takes former intern to court
ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is suing former intern Tian Keyu for $1.1m, alleging he intentionally sabotaged its artificial intelligence large language model training infrastructure. The lawsuit, filed in the Haidian District People's Court in Beijing, has garnered significant attention because legal actions against interns for such substantial amounts are rare in China. According to an internal ByteDance memo cited by Legal Weekly, Tian is accused of manipulating code and making unauthorised modifications to disrupt the model training tasks. In a social media post in October, ByteDance said it had dismissed the intern in August. The company said that, while there were rumours that the case had cost it millions of dollars and involved over 8,000 graphics processing units, these claims were “seriously exaggerated."
TECHNOLOGY
AI and automation come with opportunities and risks, IBM exec says
Executives from IBM Thailand and its subsidiary Apptio told attendees at the “AI for Business: Accelerate Automation and Optimise Cloud Cost” event at Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit that organisations should be ready for opportunities and risks from artificial intelligence (AI). Anothai Wettayakorn, IBM Thailand's president and country general manager, said that AI and automation has the potential to boost business efficiency and growth, but could pose risks to the organisation at the same time. But doing nothing is not an option, he said. “CEOs need to let go of what has always worked for their business and start rocking on innovation.” 
SUSTAINABILITY
Singapore firms lag on sustainability pay
Only a little more than a third (38%) of Singapore's largest 100 companies have tied executive compensation to the achievement of sustainability goals, according to a survey from KPMG. This was better than the global average of 30%, but lower than the 67% figure in 2022, KMPG observed. The decline could be indicative of boards becoming cautious around disclosure, particularly as climate-linked remuneration becomes a disclosure requirement under the new reporting framework developed by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). This has precipitated strategic recalibrations, said Cherine Fok, a partner of ESG Consulting at KPMG in Singapore.
LEGAL
China’s Temu under US investigation over forced labour violations
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS)  is investigating Chinese online retailer Temu for potential violations of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), which could lead to a ban from the US market. Officials and intelligence experts indicate that Temu, known for its extremely low prices, may rely on forced labour, particularly from Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, China, and spy on users of its mobile app. The UFLPA prohibits importing goods made wholly or partially with forced labour, and specifically targets products from Xinjiang. Despite concerns, Temu has not been added to the US banned list. Concerns include the company's ability to self-certify compliance with UFLPA and potential cybersecurity risks similar to those associated with TikTok. The European Union has also launched an investigation into Temu's practices. The DHS is being urged to advance measures to accurately verify product origins to uphold the UFLPA effectively.
Australia approves social media ban on under-16s
Australia will ban children under 16 from using social media, after the country's parliament approved the world's strictest laws. The ban, which will not take effect for at least 12 months, could see tech companies fined up to A$50m ($32.5m) if they don't comply. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the legislation is needed to protect young people from the "harms" of social media. Critics say questions over how the ban will work, and its impact on privacy and social connection, have been left unanswered. The legislation does not specify which platforms will be banned. Those decisions will be made later by Australia’s communications minister, who will seek advice from the eSafety Commissioner, an internet regulator that will enforce the rules. However the minister, Michelle Rowland, has said the ban will include Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X. Gaming and messaging platforms are exempt, as are sites that can be accessed without an account, meaning YouTube, for instance, is likely to be spared.
STRATEGY
Lithium producer Albemarle slashes apprentice roles
Albemarle, a major lithium producer, is reducing its apprentice workforce by 50% at its Kemerton refinery in Western Australia due to financial struggles. The company said it was "unable to support the work required for the number of apprentices we have to successfully complete apprenticeships." The decision follows significant financial losses from an unsuccessful expansion project. The Electrical Trades Union WA expressed its frustration, highlighting the stress caused to apprentices who were informed of potential redundancies just before their shifts ended. Rob de Graaf, the union's apprentice organiser, noted the precarious position of apprentices, observing: "If they're doing it to them, then there's really nothing stopping them from taking a big knife through the rest of the workforce."
Volkswagen to exit China's Xinjiang region
Volkswagen has said it is to sell its factory and test track in Xinjiang for "economic reasons." China has been accused of numerous human rights abuses in the region, including so-called re-education camps and forced labour targeting Uyghurs and other minority groups. The Uyghur people are a Turkic-speaking and predominantly Muslim ethnic group that inhabit Xinjiang. The German company will transfer its factory in Urumqi and a test track in Turpan to the Shanghai Motor Vehicle Inspection Center (SMVIC). The decision comes as Volkswagen has struggled in the Chinese market, losing its status as the best-selling auto brand to BYD.
INTERNATIONAL
Disney settles suit over women's pay
Disney has agreed to pay $43.3m to settle claims that it systematically paid female middle managers less than men in similar roles over an eight-year period. Lawyers for the nine female plaintiffs had argued that Disney paid women at least $151m less than men in comparable roles across various divisions of the company, in violation of California workplace sex discrimination laws. Disney continued to deny any wrongdoing in the proposed settlement agreement. “We have always been committed to paying our employees fairly and have demonstrated that commitment throughout this case, and we are pleased to have resolved this matter,” a Disney spokesperson said. The suit was originally filed by LaRonda Rasmussen in 2019. “I strongly commend Ms Rasmussen and the women who brought this discrimination suit . . . They risked their careers to raise pay disparity at Disney,” Lori Andrus, a partner at law firm Andrus Anderson, said in a statement.
Is Germany's supply chain law failing Serbian workers?
Serbian workers have reported inhuman treatment and hazardous working conditions at local suppliers with ties to German automakers including Mercedes, Audi, Volkswagen and BMW. Media reports and trade unions have uncovered violations of human rights and labour laws, with Chinese company Linglong and the German supplier Leoni among those said to be "exploiting" their workforces in the southeast European country. The German Supply Chain Act, which came into force last year, holds companies responsible for ensuring compliance with human rights and environmental standards throughout their entire supply chains, including the right to workplace health and safety, fair wages, and the right to form unions. But some say the problem with the legislation is that workers often do not know about it or even that their company is part of a supply chain to Germany.
Labour shortages increase across Russia's economy
Russia's economy is struggling to find workers as the country's defence sector poaches staff. Heavy recruitment by the armed forces and defence industries has taken workers away from civilian businesses, as has emigration. Data from the Rosstat statistics service this week showed unemployment at a record low of 2.3%. "The 'personnel famine' has turned into a universal phenomenon, capturing practically all parts of the economic system," Rostislav Kapelyushnikov, deputy director of the labour research centre at Moscow's Higher School of Economics (HSE), wrote in a report.
Emirates finance chief suffers abrupt reversal on plan
Bloomberg reports on how Emirates finance chief Michael Doersam in late February began building a new structure that aimed to give him more direct supervision over his enlarged corporate functions including human resources, finance, legal, and information technology - but then shelved his plan after he failed to garner internal backing from other senior managers, according to sources. Bloomberg suggests that the U-turn is indicative of possible frictions among executives who sit in the leadership team alongside Doersam and Emirates President Tim Clark, who is widely expected to step down "sometime in the not-too-distant future" after running the world’s largest international carrier for more than two decades.
OTHER
New bill targets Australian supermarket misconduct with big fines
The Australian government has introduced a bill into parliament that would impose potentially billion-dollar fines on big supermarket chains including Woolworths and Coles, along with Germany's Aldi and wholesaler Metcash, that fail to comply with an industry code of conduct ensuring they do not mistreat suppliers. The new mandatory Food and Grocery Code of Conduct is proposed to take effect from 1 April 2025. The legislation would impose fines of up to 10% of annual turnover for breaches of the code. "We're cracking down on supermarket misconduct because it will help shoppers at the register, and it will help farmers and suppliers at the negotiating table," Assistant Treasury Minister Andrew Leigh said.
 


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