Women Workers - Foreign semiconductor manufacturers prefer employing young single women, typically from rural areas, who are perceived to constitute a passive and controllable workforce. This industry is heavily dependent on women workers, mostly recruited from rural areas. While this industry offers job opportunities for women, there are a number of human rights concerns. Semiconductor manufacturers prefer employing young women as opposed to male workers because women are assumed to be docile and are seen as averse to joining unions. Most of the women are single and young, between the ages of 16-21.
Critics point out that women are also paid less than men.
Employers are generally averse to employing older women because they may demand higher wages, are more likely to get married, and are less willing to work overtime. Employers also prefer women with less education, although female electronics workers tend to have slightly more years of schooling than other production workers. Calvert has long preferred companies that apply the same standards to their labor, human rights and environmental performance globally, and we avoid investing in companies that have questionable or discriminatory policies in their offshore plants. Product issues cover a lot of territory for Calvert. We screen every company for safe and healthy products, and do not invest in companies with harmful products.