(Image Source: Cnet)

BY HARUMENDHAH HELMY AND CHRISTINA HARTMAN

Amid allegations of child labor -- Apple for the first time released a list of its major suppliers and results of recent factory inspections.

It’s a move some observers are hailing as a big step toward transparency. CNBC has more.

“Apple giving in to some pressure over criticism from human rights groups and also environmental agencies about the working conditions at some of these factories within the supply chain.”

What kinda issues are we talking about here? The Wall Street Journal reports...

“The audits also found 5 facilities had incidents of underage labor. … The report also found 24 facilities conducted pregnancy tests and 56 didn't have procedures to prevent discrimination against pregnant workers.”

But Apple says it’s taken steps to stop suppliers from discriminatory screenings. Bloomberg notes -- Apple has joined the Fair Labor Association, and that means Apple’s supplier factories can be inspected by the association.

“[It] highlights the risk to multinational companies’ brands due to difficulties in policing suppliers as they outsource manufacturing to cut costs. Nike became a founding member of the association after reports of low pay, abuses and poor conditions at sportswear factories in Asia...”

A little context here -- earlier this month one of Apple’s manufacturing partners -- Foxconn -- made international headlines after workers claimed poor working conditions -- and threatened mass suicide in response.

But given Apple’s reputation as tight-lipped -- Fast Company’s Kit Eaton applauds the company for the report -- and gives credit to new CEO Tim Cook.

“Speculation on these moves would naturally lead to the fact that with the death of Steve Jobs, Tim Cook is now CEO and his expertise over the years has actually been in perfecting Apple's supply chain so it can command in the markets it now leads in.”